


Your Suitcase Full of Memories

by Tomato_Trash_Art



Category: One Piece
Genre: Betaed, Brotherhood, Brothers, Cover Art, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, NaNoWriMo 2020, No Romance, No spoilers past Dressrosa, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Wholesome, mention of violence, nothing explicit tho, tagged teen for language and some more violent scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:33:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 35,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28072527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tomato_Trash_Art/pseuds/Tomato_Trash_Art
Summary: Once upon a time, a young man went on a quest. One to find a traitor, a monster amongst men. A backstabber without any honor that ran away when he shouldn’t have.Once upon a time, a blonde man with a scarred face went on his own quest. One to change the world and its rotten core. One to save some information from the hands of an institution too blind to see its own corruption.Once upon a time, there was a story about loss and gain, memories and knowledge, fire and water. Friends and Brothers.Once upon a time, there was a suitcase filled with documents on a flaming ship sailing closer to fortified walls. Wails filling the burning air.
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy & Portgas D. Ace & Sabo
Comments: 170
Kudos: 264





	1. Every Story has its Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is at last!
> 
> After writing it during November and using the 2 weeks break to correct it, I finally got you the first chapter!
> 
> I don't know the final chapter number yet since I want to cut one or two chapters into 2-3 parts for they are long and, well, I wanna draw them something. This story is already finished! I need to rework some scenes of course, but the beginning, ending and middle are finished! Which means I can assure weekly updates (with some minimal changes) and no 1 year hiatus like I end up doing usually...
> 
> I wrote 5-7 fics during NaNo this year, I will work on them on the side and might post them soon too, who knows!
> 
> Thank to all the ones who hyped me up about this story, especially theprodigypenguin who helped me out with some story points and to SoccerSarah01, my lovely Beta that screamed about every two lines of this fic while helping out.
> 
> But enough talk.
> 
> Let's begin, shall we?

_ Once upon a time, a young man went on a quest. One to find a traitor, a monster amongst men. A backstabber without any honor that ran away when he shouldn’t have. _

_ A quest that brought this twenty year old with his tanned skin covered in freckles and his raven hair reflecting the sunlight to meet a young girl. A tiny thing in charge of a farm with her parents in search of a good deal. One girl that would make him infiltrate a fortress with white walls and the uniform of another man upon his shoulders. _

_ Portgas D. Ace was his name. A purple tattoo on his back, a heavy one on his left bicep. A commander of one of the strongest fleets searching for one that had dared murder a crewman, a friend, a brother. _

_ Once upon a time, a blonde man with a scarred face went on his own quest. One to change the world and its rotten core. One to save some information from the hands of an institution too blind to see its own corruption. Twenty years of age, a top hat upon his brows, blue goggles set on the rim, the last marks of his forgotten past. His quest brings him aboard a boat on his way to a stronghold. An island heavily guarded yet so easy to slip in. _

_ With the name of Sabo upon his back, the title of Chief recently received. Light with freedom yet heavy with responsibilities rarely shared with strangers. Searching the world for a better ending that could grant freedom to the shackled ones. Bravery to the ones who had no choice but to cower from tyrants. _

_ Two men whose souls had already been held side by side, with a smile as bright as the sun running by their side. Two men broken from the same cannonball in opposite ways. Losing and losing again. _

_ The strings of fate crawling closer and closer to finally meet and mend. _

_ Or to fall into ignorance yet again. _

_ Once upon a time, there was a story about loss and gain, memories and knowledge, fire and water. Friends and Brothers. _

_ Once upon a time, there was a suitcase filled with documents on a burning ship sailing closer to fortified walls. Wails filling the burning air. _

_ But we are not there yet. _

_ Because, at first, there were three brothers. _

_ And this is how this story started. _

~~~

Sunbeams cut through the dense canopy to the mossy ground. The wind brushing gently through it, lullaby mixing with birds cries and the soft hum of life. A butterfly, bravely tempting fate by fluttering near the ground, descended upon its next perch. A scarred cheek, skin tanned from the morning sun, belonging to a young boy with dark hair napping against a tree trunk. A strawhat upon dark locks while a metal pipe leaned in a similar way as it caught a ray of sunlight.

The scene was peaceful, still. Not something usually linked to the boy as he stirred from sleep, a bright grin filling his face as the bright insect took flight again, as surprised as his perch.

“Hi you!” Greeted the kid before stretching, the gleam in his eyes promising dreams bigger than he would ever be, yet as certain as the rising tides and sun.

With a roll of his shoulders and a gentle hand to press the hat securely on his head, the boy stood, quickly grabbing his weapon. He glanced toward the darkness of the surrounding woods without fear, simply curiosity. After a moment and a definite nod, small feet clad in sandals made their way through the bushes.

“Ace? Sabo?” He yelled as if to greet the dark silhouettes of the trees around him, steps never wavering. He didn’t trip. Not anymore. “Are you there?”

Only birds and wind answered him, the rising sun almost at its apex. It was almost time for lunch and his growling stomach was starting to make him moody. The nap had been nice, but why would they leave him alone? They knew he didn’t like waking up to an empty space. It was one of the first things he had told them after both had broken in to save him, metal in hand and fire in their eyes. Stealing him away from the cold hands of fate, battered and bruised. All of this for being too loyal to a duo not willing to do the same. How it has changed since.

Talking about his partners in crime, the young boy heard some yelling nearby. Fingers scratching at a recent bruise, face split from a wide grin, he dashed in the voices’ direction. Jump a fallen tree trunk, slip under a low branch, almost fall down face first into a puddle of mud and the sun kissing his face again.

“Ace! Sabo!” He exclaimed with renewed vigor at the sight of the duo currently sparing in the clearing. “I fell asleep! What did you guys do?”

“Don’t get too close, Luffy!” Chastised the blond as his own steel pipe made contact with Ace’s.   
  
“Stay away from our battle, weakling!” Growled the second, leg swiping low to make his sparring partner fall. A technique that failed as Sabo jumped over the maneuver to get some space between them both.

“Just sit and watch.”

“But I missed you guys!” Came the whine from Luffy, face, now set in a childish pout. Yet, he obediently sat down next to their weathered scoreboard to overlook the ongoing match.

The warmth on his skin, the wind in his hair, the sound of the wind in the tree and the faraway sea crashing on the rocks. The grunts of his brothers’ fight right before him.

_ Home. _

Luffy’s smile came back at this thought, this fact. Home had been in many things. In Makino’s arms after he had a nightmare or scratched his knees from a bad stunt. In the Party’s bar and it’s wooden floor and blooming voices in the evening. In Shanks’ presence as he patted his dark hair until the day a straw hat was placed upon his head. In Gramp’s’ stupid training, somewhat. Safe even when it was all but. Maybe because of that one day where Gramp had really scared him and pulled him to his board shoulder, cradling him with hushed apologies.

But never home had felt so real than in the one _they_ made: him, Ace and Sabo. A house in a tree, tall and proud and filled with dreams and three little sake cups that were worth more than the entirety of their pirate treasure. _Home_ was in the smile of his brothers, in the gentle embrace of Ace when he woke from a nightmare, in the gentleness of Sabo’s hand as he wrapped his wounds.

“Oi! Luffy!”

It was the only warning he had to get out of his head before it was punched by a fuming Ace.

“I’m talking to you, idiot!”

Luffy’s hand rubbed at the sore spot where a bump was sure to appear with a new pout. “Sorry, Ace! What’d you say?”

“Ace was wondering if you were up for a hunt to catch Lunch,” said Sabo helpfully, a smile on his face as he extended a hand toward their little brother to help him to his feet. “I’m surprised you didn’t react at the mention of food, to be honest.”

“Food!”

“There he is!” Chuckled the blond as he was toppled by an overexcited child of rubber and his sunlight grin.

“What’re we hunting?” asked Luffy, not missing a beat and perfectly content on his spot, sprawled over his brother. Well, until Ace ripped him off by the scruff of his neck like an overgrown kitten.

“You weren’t listening at all. We’re going to get a bull. Get it? Maybe you should stay here so you don’t get impaled… _again_.”

The pout was back for the third time as Luffy was finally lowered to the ground, arms crossed in defiance. “I won’t get impaled! I’m _strong_! And you guys will be there anyway.”

There was a fond smile on Sabo’s face as he dusted himself and put his top hat back upon his head. Allowing himself a short moment to look at his friends, his brothers, his home. As both black haired boys started the eleventh screaming match of the day. No matter the fact that there was no venom in it. “Well, we won’t get anywhere if we don’t move, guys. You better keep up!”

It was a question of seconds before all three raced downhill to the place they all knew bulls roamed. Filled with laughter and brightness as they passed the bandit hut and their surrogate mother’s exasperated expression.

_ Free. _

~~~

“Ace! Luffy! Sabo! I’m here!”

If there was anything that could drive two ten-years-olds and one seven-years-old to fall into a fight or flee situation, it was this voice. Well, more precisely, the _man_ it belonged to.

Monkey D. Garp was an incredible presence that could be felt at every corner of the forest, making birds take flights noisily from the treetops.

“Run!” Gasped Ace as he slipped through the narrow opening under a wide root, quickly followed by Luffy and Sabo. “Just _run_!”

They were three smart boys, at least, that’s what they said. Bright enough to outsmart grown adults in Grey Terminal, the trash heap. Bright enough to trick the biggest snake of the forest, even if at the cost of Luffy almost being digested by the beast. Yet they still ran while the Marine showed up at the shore, board and loud. As if, this time, they could outsmart him if not unrun him. But the old man was quick and smart and so, so strong.

This time, Sabo was the one that got caught first. A hand the size of a dinner plate closed over his leg, a yelp escaping from his mouth, the sound prompting both of his brothers to stop more or less gracefully and turn around, weapons at the ready.

“Hello, grandkids. Did it finally go through these thick skulls of yours that you will be great Marines?” Garp chuckled, voice echoing against the tall trees.

“Never!” Answered all three kids in one voice, quickly receiving a punch to the head in retaliation followed by a resounding, “Ow!”

“I said you would be Marines! You will be Marines!”

“We’re going to be pirates, Gramps! Not stinking Marines!” Bravely exclaimed Ace in outrage, not unlike the thousand times the old man repeated the same words.

This time, instead of the familiar punch that was called _‘Fist of Love’_ , the freckled boy was sent spiralling toward a tree which cracked loudly on impact.

“Ace!” Screamed the youngest at the sadly familiar sight before sprinting toward his grandfather, fist pulled back. “You’ll pay for this, Gramps! _Gomu Gomu no-_ ”

The punch stretched toward the ground before it hit the grass and the rebound landed directly on Luffy’s face, almost knocking him out.

Sabo had more luck with his approach, but it was a matter of seconds before his body collided with Ace’s, sending both down from the force of the impact. “You’re a terrible old man!” He managed to croak before Ace rolled him out of his way to attack again.

When they finally all laid down breathing heavily at the sky, their stomachs were making a cacophony that sounded as if it had been rehearsed.

“You’re hungry, grandsons of mine?” Guffawed Garp, slapping his knee as if it had been the best joke ever made. “You trained well, what about I catch you supper?”

While the eldest made offended noises at the idea, Luffy’s head popped up with a grin at the prospect of food. “Crocodile meat!” He cheered, stars in his eyes, apparently ignoring the slight swelling blocking part of his vision.

“Crocodile it is! Wait here, grandsons.”

And then, the clearing was empty from the Marine once again, leaving the trio to catch their breath.

“I’m never going to be a Marine,” growled Ace from his spot, not bothering to sit up. “The uniform looks itchy.”

“Is it?” Asked Luffy with a tilt of his head.

“They wouldn’t let you wear _sandals_ , Luffy,” pointed out Sabo before chuckling at his brother’s offended gasp.

“But sandals are super comfortable!”

“Exactly! No way we’re going to be Marine. Anyway, they aren’t _free_. We need to sail toward our own adventure, not to be told what we should do every single day.”

“Yeah. We’re going to be the best pirates.”

“And I’ll be the King of Pirates!”

From their prone position, the brothers laughed. Yeah. No way they’d ever become anything less than pirates. It was their dream after all. _To be free upon the waves._

**TBC**


	2. Wolves in Seagull's Clothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s always bad when you get caught,” said a voice in his mind that sounded suspiciously like Sabo.
> 
> “Well, that sucks,” said the one that sounded like himself.
> 
> He blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO! TAKE 2!
> 
> I am not very smart on A03 yet and kind of... Lost all the formatting I did before going to bed. Usually I do it all so I can press 'Publish' the moment I get to my computer... So sorry it's later than usual ówò'
> 
> Announcement! Since I update Comics on Mondays, I'm gonna move the Chapter updates to Fridays! So I don't rush 2 things for the same day! Which means that Chap 3 will come out on the 25th! Christmas gift for people who celebrates it, gift of 2 chapters in less than a week for everyone else!
> 
> Happy Holidays squad!
> 
> EDIT:  
> I FORGOT to give the shoutout to theprodigypenguin for the help for this fic's development, and SoccerSarah01 for being my incredible Beta!!!

It had been a mostly calm village before the pirate came with his bright smile and a purple tattoo on his back. He had been so kind, smiling to the crowd as he asked about a man. Extremely polite toward everyone. No one really expected him to gain the ire of half the village in the span of a few minutes.

“Now, now. It was all a misunderstanding, there is no need for rash actions.” Ace tried, voice as soothing as he could as the mob closed on him, trapping him between them and the river.

“Your unpaid bill isn’t a misunderstanding, young man!” Growled the restaurant owner, shaking his spatula in the air. “Pay for your own actions!”

“You kicked me!” Added the doctor with his stethoscope still around his neck. “In the face!” He added for good measure, the rest of the witnesses nodding in agreement.

“It was all about names and…misunderstandings. Now, come on. It wasn’t that bad. I said sorry.” He tried to soothe, hands in the air in a last attempt to avoid the water running behind him.

“Take _this_ for a misunderstanding!”

The kicks from the crowd were surprisingly well-timed and the next moment, he was falling in, too surprised to use his flames to push himself to the other side. Then it was wet, and cold, and terrible.

_ “It’s always bad when you get caught,” _ said a voice in his mind that sounded suspiciously like Sabo.

_ “Well, that sucks,” _ said the one that sounded like himself.   
  
He blacked out.

~~~

“And so, you need to grab that information. Failure is not an option.”   
  
“I am Chief of Staff, I can do a good job on a simple mission like this, come on.” Sabo smirked while adjusting his hat, the gentle rocking of the boat and the wind in his hair tasting like freedom. The best kind there was. “It’s a base. The G2 Base. I could probably just all take them out myself.”   
  
“Please don’t,” groaned Koala from her spot next to their solemn leader. She wasn’t part of his mission which was a rare occurrence, but not unheard of. “You’ll get in trouble, won’t you?”   
  
“Not before I finish my mission. Don’t worry.”   
  
“I constantly worry, Sabo. You’re a _menace_ ,” she huffed without much venom. He already knew she was worried after all. They hadn’t gone on many missions without each other before.

“Sabo,” cut in Dragon, eyes serious under his hood. “The marines can’t get their hands on this suitcase.”   
  
“No worries, Dragon-san,” he reassured, untying his vessel from the docks with a sharp jerk. “I won’t fail.”

With a nod, the man left the duo alone on the docks. Hack, the fishman, should have been there, but knowing the status of his current mission, his absence was no surprise. So they stared at each other for a few seconds as their leader walked away and the dust was kicked up by the wind. The scene had something poetic to it, after all. Setting to sea this way, on a small rowboat, gave him a feeling like no other. One that he couldn’t entirely understand as it rolled away from his grasp every time he tried to reach it. _Freedom_.

“You’ll come back.,” Koala huffed, worry plain in her eyes, yet stating it like a fact. “In one piece.”

“I don’t think I have a choice on that matter.” The rope anchoring his ship to the sandy docks of Baltingo was dropped. “See you soon, Koala.”

“See you, Sabo.”

It was a good day for sailing. It only took fifteen minutes for him to disappear over the horizon.

~~~

When Ace woke up, he was laid upon a bed. A comfortable one that didn’t seem like one of a prison cell, which was a good thing. There was nothing cold around his limbs or over his chest which was an even better sign. Opening his eyes, he saw himself in a cozy room with gentle sunlight passing through the warm curtains. A cottage, probably.

His bare feet hit the ground with a dull thud as he checked where he ended up. On the bedside table was his hat and necklace. His weapon was on a desk chair nearby with his bracelet and log pose. Everything was accounted for. It could have been worse. It’s easy for him to find a pair of sandals left for him at the foot of the bed, not unlike his younger brother’s favorite footwear. Even easier to slip them on and leave the room, a small thought about how much time passed and what he could have missed on his mind.

Ace spotted someone as soon as he leaves the cozy cottage. A young girl crouching down next to small cows, handing them water. Odd. Wasn’t he in a village? The hills and forest around looking nothing like the paved streets and stone houses.

So, with a sigh and a confused scratch at the back of his head, he made his way to the girl.

“Hey, girly. I’m so sorry but where-”

“Oh!” She exclaimed with a wide grin as soon as she saw him. “You’re awake! I wasn’t sure I managed to save you from drowning quickly enough.”

Ace couldn’t help but pause. Right, the river. “Well, thank you very much, kind little lady. I’m Ace. I am grateful for your help.” He bowed slightly as punctuation, honest in his thankfulness. He wasn’t ready to die after all.

She shook her head, as if to dismiss his thanks. “I’m Moda. What were you doing in the river, mister?”

“Got kicked in for….shenanigans.” There was no reason to explain his whole life story. Especially not the gruesome parts that had sent him on his current path across the blue seas. Sabo would have been proud. “Where am I?”

“My farm!” Moda immediately answered, full of pride. “Well, my parent’s’ farm, but I live and work here. I’m the milk girl.”

“An honorable profession,” Ace said with pride of his own. It never failed to bring a smile to his face, the sight of a kid living the way they like. Free in their own way.

The girl suddenly stood to rush past him, ripping him from his thoughts that were getting dangerously close to his childhood and the two most important persons in his life. “I’ll get you some milk! You must be thirsty!”

Who was he to say no to that smile?

He could always say that his recent meeting with Luffy made him soft.

~~~

A harsher wave jolted Sabo out of his daydreaming, the crash of the sea upon his boat having lulled him into a peace he rarely had these days. Such was the life of the Revolutionary’s second in command. Always requested, always needed, barely any alone time that didn’t involve a pile of paperworks or Koala coming in with new requests or intel.

The trip wasn’t supposed to be very long, only a day, and yet it was enough to drain the tension from his shoulders. Even if only for a short moment.

The sound of seagulls made him crack open an eye. Birds meant land. Land meant he was almost there and needed to get into character. Thank the sea that Revolutionaries didn’t have any bounties sporting portraits. Well, Dragon aside. But the man was such a shadow most of the time that knowing his face was no help for anyone except maybe Admirals. They had a better shot at catching him than most, not that they would.

The sight of the white uniform as he opened his bag made Sabo cringe. Of all the undercover operations he had taken part of, the ones linked to this uniform were the most uncomfortable for some reason. Not that they were more dangerous or had the most close call. To be honest with himself, the most stressful ones were the infiltrations of Slave Ships. _Especially_ as a trader. But Marines, for some reason, always left a sour taste in his mouth and itchy scars as soon as he put on the well recognized uniform. It’s something he never understood but Dragon had mentioned the possible link to his past. Maybe Marines traumatized him, even if it was a Celestial Dragon that had shot him down.

Sabo shook his head, blond hair slapping the side of his face at the movement, before he stripped to his underclothes and slipped on the white and navy uniform. Not bringing his hat was going to be an annoying loss, but his goggles were fair game. If someone pointed them out, he could just hide them under his shirt.

Standing proud, clad in the itchy clothes, the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army took the helm once again. The small island was getting closer by the minute. He now only had to get to land, put his belongings to safety and get into the intelligence ship. There, it would be all about staying in character and getting his hands on the suitcase before slipping away.

Easy peasy.

_ Easy peasy, _ he said.

Oh, was he  _ wrong. _

~~~

“Can you bring this letter to Vice Admiral Comil?”

“Listen, little lady, I’m a _Pirate_.” Sighed Ace, wiping his mouth after half-emptying the cup of milk the girl had so kindly brought to him. “I can’t assure you this’ll go well, you know.”

And here came the puppy eyes, the only visible part of her face as she hid the rest with her carefully made letter. Why was he so weak to kids, anyway? Probably Luffy’s fault again. Not that he really was complaining. All the children he had the chance to meet were a delight to have around with their big eyes full of dreams he shared. Dreams bigger than their little body, yet that he knew were reachable. Luffy had taught him that after all. No dreams were impossible. Even if he wasn’t close to his coveted title, the rubber idiot was well on his way. The people surrounding him in Alabasta told enough of themselves. Kind. Loyal. Full of dreams and life. Just like Ace’s little brother.

“Fine, fine. I owe you after all, don’t I?” He finally caved in with a big smile. “You saved my life, didn’t you?”

Yes, the smile on her face was worth it all. “Really? You will do it?”

“I’ll bring it to the Vice Admiral Cromal, don’t worry.” The letter was in his hands in a second.   
  
“Comil,” she quietly corrected, still overjoyed by the agreement.

Sheer will was what made him avoid ruffling her hair over her bandana. He might be slightly delayed from the adventure, but after such a long time at sea searching for a slippery leach, the break and fun would be a nice pause. Some breathing space. And, anyway, the Marines worked with buffets, didn’t they? Maybe he should just make a quick stop to their mess hall before handing out the letter? No one would get hurt.

“Well, I better get on my way, shouldn’t I?”

“Thank you so much, Mister Ace!”

Smiles were contagious, he knew that very well.

He answered hers as she waved from the docks as he stepped back on the strider, letter pinched in his fist and other hand in his pocket, carefree as always with his trusty bag swung over one shoulder. Fire Fist Ace had a message to deliver. 

_ And some fun to have. _

~~~

Getting into the boat was child’s play for Eddy Lighthouse, Sabo’s favorite Marine alter ego. Young, a chore boy, he had been drafted two months ago from a small base on the Grand Line. Survivor of a house fire, his face was left scarred and he kept hiding it out of shame and self-consciousness. He was a good boy, and Average Marine, and a very, very good actor.

The presence of calm waves and clear sky did not help his plan. With the speed the ship seemed to sail with, his time to find the information about the Revolutionary was reduced. Once he would arrive at the G2 Base, it was almost game over. There would be way more soldiers and high graders in place. Not that he wouldn’t be able to deal with the situation, even if dire, but it still never hurt to play it safe, as Koala would have said.

With no one watching his back but himself, it was no time for improvisation and stupid plans.

“Chore boy Lighthouse,” called the Rear-Admiral from his spot next to the helm, looking down the deck as it was being swept. “Come up here.”

Straightening up with a small touch of excitement and foreboding, Sabo did as he was asked, never once losing his mask. “Yes, sir?”

“When did you join the Marines?”

“T-Two months ago, Sir!” Oh, this was going to be good. Koala had worked so hard on that particular character’s background. From family members to childhood memories. They had built him up together, when they were only teenagers, cleaning up any mistakes as adults when it was time to release the chore boy into the Marine Ranks.

“And could you tell me why?”

“A-A Marine Officer saved me from the fire that destroyed my house, Sir! Pirates lit it up during a raid, Sir!”

Who didn’t like a sob story that praised one of the most corrupt institutions in the world?

“Really?”   
  
“Y-Yes, Sir!”

A simple hand gesture, as if the Rear Admiral was swiping away a fly, and he was sent back to his sweeping duties. Sabo continued, being careful to heighten his Observation Haki while simmering down his presence to the level of a simple Ensign. No reason to pull his punches to be safe, after all. And if the Officer hadn’t called him just because he was the newest recruit on deck, safety came first.

That’s where he passed the rest of the day, carefully sweeping the floor as if it was his life purpose. And while it was back breaking labor, the pros far outweighed the cons. Paperwork was worse than field work and the quantity of refills he could get at the boat’s mess hall was almost enough for the blond to get his fill.

~~~

Getting into the G2 Base wasn’t too difficult for Portgas D. Ace, Commander of the Second Division. Not because of his skills, even if they helped, but mostly because Marines were blind and too self-assured. The idea of a Pirate breaking in sounded so fake that they never checked if it could happen. Or if it was happening under their nose.

As long as Ace walked confidently through the corridor and kept his back covered, they were none the wiser. Especially with his knowledge of Marine speech and codes. If there was one good thing that the Old Man had brought him on his stops to Goa and his violent training methods, it was a very useful ability to hide in the mass and correctly answer questions that were composed with too many anagrams. That, and the ability to take quite a punch and get back up like it was nothing helped, too.

The Dining Hall was a plus. A long table filled with many kinds of food that made his stomach growl and his plate full. Well, plates. No D could ever live on just one serving, after all. From the corner of his eye, he could already see the lunch lady beaming at his obvious interest in the food. Marines were too tame about enjoying it, apparently. That was the only possible reason. That or they had no taste - which was also a possibility, as far as he was concerned.

But, all good things come to an end. This time, it was in the form of a no-name soldier that dared say the wrong thing at the wrong time, making Ace’s hand freeze, fork still in the air.

“Whitebeard is such an old man. He’s probably using a cane these days,” came the loud voice over the crowd. “Didn’t you notice how his underlings are always fighting his fights? My guess is that he got one foot in the grave and is too weak-minded to actually step off his throne.”

The laughter of the nearby men and women made Ace growl. How dare they. How  _ dare  _ they talk about his father like that, as if they had a chance to hold a candle to him. Whitebeard was a proud and powerful man. And if he wasn’t there to defend his title, his son was more than happy to oblige.

His steps seemed to echo even in the noisy Dining Hall as he made his way to the vermin that had so kindly offered itself to slaughter.

“Hey,” Ace greeted from his spot right behind the uniformed man. “You there.”

No word  even  had time to leave his mouth before the Commander’s fist caught him right under the jaw, sending his body barrelling over tables.

“What did you just say about Whitebeard, coward?” He growled, ignoring the gasps and exclamations replacing the previous laughter and all-around carefreeness of the room. “Care to repeat that? Or did my punch finally make you smarter?”

“I- What?” Whimpered the Marine at his feet, nose bleeding on his white shirt. A terrible fashion choice, if you asked the pirate. If you couldn’t hold up to your wounds, what was the point of showing them off anyway?

“Hey! No fighting! Grab him!” Yelled some random higher grade from a corner of the room.

_ That’s my cue _ , thought Ace as he sent a last smirk toward the prone man under him. Then he dashed away as fast as he could, a plate still in hands. He could just leave the letter somewhere, but the Vice-Admiral whereabouts were still a mystery and Moda had saved his life, after all.

With a curse, he slid under a lone Marine’s legs before slipping down a corridor and into a room he wished empty.

The confused and honestly terrified Marine shaking at a small desk still gave Fire Fist a grin.

_ Bingo _ .

~~~

Sabo knew where the intelligence was. _Finally_.

Not that he was in any condition to grab it at the moment, locked up in a high officer’s room, as it stood. The Revolutionary had to give them points for that. Security had been on the rise in the last few years, which meant they at least were smart enough to learn from their mistake. Not everybody could say so on these waters.

On the other hand, the situation meant that he would need to be even more careful than planned about the mission. Sure, he could simply break the door, grab the suitcase and make a run for it. But that meant being noticed. And if there was one thing he didn’t want, it had to be attention.

So he waited, patiently, making some arrangements to make his way closer and closer to the office without arousing suspicion.

And he met the other blond.

A large man with a high grade, his hair short and frilly, not unlike the Revolutionary when he was younger. A bright smile on his face, life in his eyes, and a terribly clingy side.

No matter how Sabo tried, Johnson would not leave him to his tasks. Popping out of random corridors or doors as if to specifically hinder him and his current mission. Not that the scarred man didn’t try to get away, even taking some tasks at the opposite end of the ship so he could have some peace and think this through. But no. Here he was again, an annoyance that quickly turned into a worry. Because if Johnson was everywhere he went, there had to be a better reason than simple clinginess or need for friendship based on hair color. _Sabo was being watched._

And he  _ hated _ it.

**TBC**


	3. Disguises and Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A match was all it took before he ran to the closest stairs, the heat lapping at his back uncomfortably.
> 
> “Fire!” He screamed.
> 
> And, not unlike the oil below deck, panic flared fast and bright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who celebrate it, Merry Crisis! Happy Holidays to everyone else, I wish you safety and good weather!
> 
> Gotta get on with the illustrations now! I got chap beta-ed to chap 5 but didn't finish chap 4th's illustration... woops!  
> I'll get it
> 
> Again, big thanks to thatprodigypenguin for the help on this fic and SoccerSarah01, my Beta reader!!!

The fake moustache was itchy. Not as itchy as the suit, of course, but Ace didn’t like the weird feeling right over his lips. He almost missed the simpler uniform he had been wearing earlier. The new one covered everything except his head and hands and it had a tie! Who even knew how to tie one of those?

The last plate, finally empty, was placed on a low table, right next to a knocked out and tied up man, nose still slightly bleeding from the hit he had previously received. It had been a desperate measure, but it gave Ace some time to avoid the mob running through the corridors to find him. Men and women both yelling with their weapons out.

Yeah…he wasn’t about to step back into that anytime soon.

“Sir! You are late for the meeting!” Said an officer by the door, prompting the disguised man to kick the unconscious body farther from view.

“Meeting? Oh. Yes. Bring me there, soldier.” He answered on reflex, quickly shoving a hat on his head.

As they both walked down the corridor, crossing groups of Marines still armed to the teeth, Ace could only thank his grandfather for his incessant talk about the institution. The one-sided conversations had been some of the most boring pieces of information he had ever gotten, but at least he could now wander around a Marine base without arousing the slightest bit of suspicion. Only partially helped by how blind they seemed to be.

He hadn’t expected to walk willingly into a room full of high-grade marine officers while trying to hand out a single letter, but here he was. He nodded at some and saluted others before sitting down at the only empty chair at the table.

“Gentlemen,” began the broad man sitting at the very edge of the table. “We seem to have many things to discuss today concerning movements both outside and inside our walls. Firstly, the Firefist problem. Anyone has any idea why he would get inside our walls?”

While the conversation began, coffee was brought in by a chore boy and placed in front of each of the marines. Well. Ace was not one to ignore free food or drinks. Neither seemed the Marines around the table, all of them grabbing their own cup and bringing them to their lips.

Bitterness assaulted the young man’s tongue, bringing with it a wave of disgust. Coffee had never been his favorite drink, especially since absolutely no one aboard the Moby Dick wanted caffeine running through the Commander of the Second Division’s veins. He had enough energy as it was. But he also had Narcolepsy and coffee had been one of the forms of medication they attempted to keep him awake during battle. How it had backfired… literally. The shipwrights had almost bashed his head in after the sail had caught on fire, luckily extinguished by the many souls aboard the ship. The energy crash had been even more terrible. Yet Thatch kept making attempts to find the right mix. He never had time to finish his studies, but his cooking was dearly missed.

Shaking his thoughts away from the now painful memories of his fallen sea brother, Ace put down his cup to shoot a glance at the rest of the room. Luckily, he wasn’t the only one appalled by the taste of the brew. None of the men seemed to be able to keep the liquid down, at least not easily. The meeting suddenly quiet as they all looked at each other with pure disgust on their faces.

Yeah. This was terrible, terrible coffee. If he would agree with Marines on one point, it would be that one for sure.

But if his new disguise had brought the repulsive drink to him, there was some silver lining to this meeting. Vice Admiral Comil. At the end of the table. The one name written on the letter. Not that he could casually slip it to him at the moment. Not when the conversation resumed about his break in and where he could be hiding in the base.

“And as for our Intelligence ship.”

That made Ace look up once again. Intelligence? About what? If there was any information about his father, it could be a problem, but if it was about a certain Marshall D. Teach he knew well…

Well, there was no way he could leave before that was at arm’s reach, could he?

He smirked and tried to hide it with his cup.

Before promptly remembering what was in it and spitting it all over the documents in front of him.

~~~

Fine.

Everything was fine.

They were almost at the base and Sabo had finally managed to break into the office to find the darn suitcase  _ gone _ . Just… _ gone _ . And with his current luck, it probably was now into a certain Marine’s hands, on the deck as the G2 Base came into view.

“Fucking hell.” He mumbled, flipping through rapports spread on the desk. Subtlety was off the table for the suitcase, but maybe he could grab some interesting blackmail material before taking his leave. That would ease Dragon’s mind.

“15 minutes to docking!” Yelled the vigie loud enough to be heard over the whole ship.

“Shit!” Answered Sabo, barely avoiding slamming closed the drawer he was rummaging in. “Shit!”

He had to get outside and find a diversion that could get him his hands on the Revolutionary information, or if he didn’t manage that, destroy it completely.

The idea came at the view of an oil barrel out of his usual spot in the hull

Fire was a significant distraction! It would be…touchy for him. Flames getting too close to his face were still able to trigger memories of a blaze he had once been a part of. Heat licking at his skin, blinding brightness, the feeling of his skin melting…no. That was not the time. He kicked the barrel stronger than needed, but its content was soon on the almost abandoned floor, most of the ship’s unit up on the deck to see the upcoming land they had been making their way to. A match was all it took before he ran to the closest stairs, the heat lapping at his back uncomfortably.

_“Fire!”_ He screamed.

And, not unlike the oil below deck, panic flared fast and bright.

~~~

“Fire!” Screeched someone, making Ace jump slightly from his spot on a windowsill.

His newest cup of coffee was still as terrible as the last five. How could people even drink this thing every morning? No wonder they were so grumpy all the time. With drinks like these, he too would be really energetic for the rest of the day, especially for the non-terrible food and drinks it promised. A devil fruit could almost be good after-

Panic filled the corridor, each and every marine present running toward the docks.

_ Well _ , the pirate thought, placing down his cup,  _ might as well go see what’s going on around there _ .

So he stood up and fell in steps with the rest of the crowd, soon arriving at the source of the panic. There, at the docks, surrounded by lifeboats filled with the ship’s crew, was a ball of raging fire, a boat only in shape as flames licked up its mast and devoured its sails. Screams filling the warm air and panic in the Marines’ eyes.

“Someone’s still on board!”

“The intelligence!”

“It’s too late!”

The blaze only grew in size. A lone voice coming out of the maelstrom of bright yellow and oranges, calling for help.

Portgas D. Ace sighed.

Then he leaped. Followed by the panicked explanations of two dozens of men and women that had noticed him stepping in.

~~~

Everything was going fine. Not perfect. But fine.

The fire had spread quickly enough, so close to the office Sabo was certain that nothing would be saved from there, the Den Den that had been on one of the shelves safely stored in one of his uniform pockets. There was no need for the poor animal to die in the blaze. It’s not as if it had chosen its profession and place of work.

Then the safe boats had reached the waves and everyone had abandoned the ship after understanding that this fire wouldn’t be stopped. Everyone but fucking Johnson and the cursed suitcase that he wouldn’t let go of.

And now Sabo had to watch from his spot on one of the ships, as both the Revolutionary information and the idiot holding them were being roasted alive. He at least expected the Marine to jump off, but not today apparently. Being cooked was so much more important for the complete idiot. In the Revolutionary Army, lives were lost every day for the cause. Allies and enemies. But that didn’t mean he liked death, even less the burning kind, happening in front of his eyes.

“A Marine jumped in!” Yelled someone next to him, stopping Sabo mid-thought.

“What?” The question out of his mouth before he could stop it.

“A Marine jumped into the fire!” Explained a young woman on his other side.

The blonde’s eyes caught the blaze once again before he closed them, making use of his Observation Haki instead. He grimaced at the feeling of Johnson’s pain and panic, but no one else was on board… No. No someone was. Someone shining as bright as the flames, as if he was part of them. How could-

“Ah! He jumped off!”

And yes, that presence had grabbed the stubborn Marine and jumped back to the Base as if it had been a walk in the park and not a suicidal mission. Devil Fruit User? Maybe? What marine in the Grand Line owned such power?

“He’s on fire!”

_ That’s what happens when you go somewhere on fire.  _ Thought Sabo, managing to bite his tongue before the sarcastic retort could flow out. His eyes opened again, directed at the odd individual. The body of Johnson swung over one shoulder, at the flames licking his opposite one. And at the disgustingly familiar suitcase in his hand.

“Oh  _ son of a- _ ”

~~~

Maybe the smirk had been too much.

It kind of felt like it when a man on the front row pointed a trembling finger in his direction and screamed his name. Blowing his cover in a single second. Darn it. He turns around, discarding the coat still hiding his back to dash away under the exclamations of the whole crowd. It doesn’t take any special power to know that both swords and guns are pulled out and pointed at him.

  
Then a thought and he twists back, aided by his flames, right back to where he was before. Well, if you consider directly on the Vice Admiral’s bald head a place he was before.

While bullets zip past and through him, the letter, thankfully unburn from his previous action, is dangled in front of the Vice Admiral’s face.

“Sorry about all of that. A kind girl asked for me to deliver this.”

It’s kind of funny. How every Marine in the vicinity gape at him in terror while the Officer under his booth only seems a bit taken aback, the body of the blonde half-burnt marine still in his arms.

“Oh… Thanks.” Comes the flabbergasted answer.

A bold marine suddenly rushed closer, and Ace jolts, ready to answer the affront.

The young man, a blond too if the hair escaping from his hat meant anything, rushes past him, grabbing the still-warm suitcase in a gloved hand before rushing away from the scene. Was that suitcase super important? He didn’t think there was anything about Whitebeard inside of it, but when the Vice Admiral under his feet suddenly started yelling at the crowd to catch the fugitive, the raven-haired curiosity was picked. Another Pirate? He had to know.

The slip of paper he had grabbed from the previous owner of the suitcase safely in his pants pocket, Ace jumped off his perch to run toward the thief. And the blond was quick. Not following any Marine protocol. Just pure calculated chaos.

And Ace definitely wants to meet the guy now.

~~~

There were pros and cons to Sabo’s latest escape plan.

Pros? He had the suitcase, unopened and in one piece, right in his hands. Well on his way of getting out without too many noticing exactly  _ who _ was making such a rushed exit.

Cons? For some reason, the Marine that jumped into the fiery ship was a well-known pirate...the one who saved a Marine… it wasn’t a good or bad thing in itself. The problem was that he was following him, noisily, and that he didn’t look like he was going to stop.

Also, Sabo needed a ship.

“Hey!” Exclaimed the dark-haired man running at his heels, a smile in his voice. “Where are you going?”

The cons almost outweighed the pros… Almost. With a sharp turn, Sabo comes to a stop, then he strikes, twisting into a room with his haki-covered hand pressed over the mouth of the too-loud pirate following him. The door is promptly closed and the freckled man pinned to the wall.

“Would you shut up?” Sabo hisses, barely above a whisper. “I can’t get out silently if you’re wailing like a lost dog!”

The answer is muffled behind his hand, but quieter than expected.

“I’m going to let go, just don’t say anything.”

The blond sends the man in front of him a last glare before his hand peels away to reveal a devilish smirk. He would have covered it again, knowing how there was no way the man would heed his warning. But there was something suddenly pushing through the front of his skull at the sight of this peculiar smile. Something that made his whole being, his whole soul, ache for. The ache sadly shadowed by the white hot pain between his brows.

“Woah! Careful!” Whispered the man, grabbing Sabo before he could fall. “Did a bullet catch you or something?”

This voice. This smile. These freckles upon his cheeks. The 43 freckles exactly. Someone yelling about being a pirate and being free.

“How the fuck are you a Marine now?” He whispered, just before everything faded to black.

~~~

Well, if he wasn’t already confused about the not-a-Marine-guy-apparently, he would have been right about now. When the man went completely limp in his arms, head rolling to collide with Ace’s beaded necklace.

But there was still yelling coming from right outside their hiding spot and now it was a question of time before they would find the Striker. The suitcase was next to him now.

Time to make a break for it, then.

The door was loudly kicked down  — D’s had a flair for the dramatics, after all  — and Ace stood proud, the man over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and the suitcase in hands. Dozens of pairs of eyes zeroed on him.   
  
“Alright, I’m going out. If any of you try anything, this guy gets turned into a bonfire, got it?”

They apparently bought his bluff when a way was immediately opened toward a door. They were too dumb to trap this one, he knew that well. So, with a spring in his steps, Portgas D. Ace, aka Firefist, aka Commander of the Second Division of the Whitebeard Pirates simply walked out of the Grand Line Marine G2 Base in front of its entire force.

That is, until the higher-ups seemed to decide that one Marine life wasn’t worth letting one powerful pirate walk out without any hindrance. 

By that point, with some small help from his flames, Ace shot out into the sunlight and quickly disappeared from the island, meeting the Striker and sailing away without missing a beat. The unconscious man swung in with the suitcase. Thankfully, his ship had been made with two passengers in mind, and the getaway was simple enough with the speed it allowed him.

Now. About the blondie.

He looked as young as he was, with soft blond curls and a scar running from the top of his left eyebrow to the neck of his collar, disappearing under the uniform. Beside the scar, there wasn’t much difference with any other Marine goon. Except, maybe…

Finally far away from land, enough that he could take a small break, slowing down before stopping his flames entirely, Ace took a step closer to the blond before crouching down to observe him in more detail. His hand went to the man's crisp white collar with its two blue lines, usual marine uniform, and pulled down slightly. There, right upon his clavicule, was a pair of blue rimmed goggles. He had seen those once before, but at the moment, no place or person came to mind. Maybe someone on the Moby had a similar pair. It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility with the sheer number of pirates that lived there.

Gentle fingers pushed the hat away from the other man’s head, freeing his hair that slipped to the side, showing even more of his scars. It was a miracle he still had an eyebrow there with how it curved and covered almost half of his face. With his hand still close to the guy’s collar, he pulled a bit of the fabric away and yes, the scar was going down his chest and shoulder too. Whatever had hit him hadn’t been pretty. Probably hurt like hell too.

“Hey. Wake up,.” Ace tried, shaking the blonde slightly. Without an answer, he placed his hand over his forehead. “Woah. Where did that fever come from?”

The stranger was burning up, and Ace was left without a single clue as to why his state had turned so dire in so little time. Well, there was plenty of cold water around, wasn't there?

The discarded Marine hat was dipped into the surrounding water before being pressed upon the warm forehead of the blond man. One of the worry wrinkles between his brows seemed to ease away, but his eyes stayed closed.

“Come on, you gotta help me out here,” groaned the pirate, sitting down and shaking the other again. “You can’t die on me like that.”

What did Marco use to do when he fell asleep again? Oh! Yeah! Check the eyes for something. Careful, Ace inched closer to move up one of the not-Marine’s eyelids up, showing a blue eye. A familiar tone of blue. One he felt he had looked in once before during a staring match, years ago. His hand was shaking as he pulled the goggles over the Marine’s collar. No, not a marine. Whoever this was, he knew the goggles around his neck. Because they were  _ Sabo’s _ . Like the stranger’s eyes and hair were.

_ “How the fuck are you a Marine now?” _

That was the last thing he had told him before fainting, didn’t he?

The raven-haired man jumped back as if he had been burnt. Backing up until his Whitebeard tattoo hit the mast. It wasn’t possible. His mind was being cruel. Sabo, his brother, his best friend, had died ten long years ago. Dogra had been there. He had seen the blond’s ship blow up from the docks. Ace knew liars. He had been raised around thieves and bandits after all, and no matter how much he wished for it to be so, what he had heard that day was no lie. So how could it even be? Why would he even show up after so long? Why hide from his brothers for ten long years?

_ No. _

_ Sabo was dead. _

_ Dead and gone. _

And that Marine would have a lot of things to explain when he wakes up.

The goggles were heavy around Ace’s neck. Better that they’re with him instead of this clown still unconscious on the bow of the Striker.

  
  
**TBC**


	4. Trust Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was too much information, too much grief to take on at once. A smirk he had seen but a few minutes ago, suddenly on the face of a young kid sporting the same freckles, the same wild hair, the same eyes filled with flames and dreams.
> 
> Ace, screamed his soul. Your brother.
> 
> Then another one, smaller, brighter, a straw hat upon his head.
> 
> Luffy, said his heart. Your baby brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy death of 2020!
> 
> Sorry for the lateness, New Year happened XD
> 
> We start with Chap 4!  
> I need to fix Chap 5 into 3 part since it is.... Long (aka 11k long and I try to keep it around 3.5k per chapter)
> 
> Thanks to theprodigypenguin for ideas and development of this fic and to SoccerSarah01 for the amazing Beta as always!

Sabo’s head was making an attempt on his life and sanity.

There was too much information, too much grief to take on at once. A smirk he had seen but a few minutes ago, suddenly on the face of a young kid sporting the same freckles, the same wild hair, the same eyes filled with flames and dreams.

_ Ace,  _ screamed his soul.  _ Your brother. _

Then another one, smaller, brighter, a straw hat upon his head.

_ Luffy,  _ said his heart.  _ Your baby brother. _

Blue eyes opened to a vast expanse of blue. Some heat at his bare feet…wait. Bare?

He sat up suddenly, facing a man, no, Ace, legs covered in bright flames as he pushed the boat forward with his Devil Fruit’s powers. A necklace similar to Dadan around his neck, paired with familiar goggles.

“Hey, those are mine,” Sabo pointed out breathlessly.

“Nu-uh they’re not.” Came the answer, half growled and not holding a single trace of kindness. It was as cold as his flames were hot, which was saying something. “But I’d love to know where you got them.”

Well, rude much?

To be completely honest with himself, Sabo understood. He would have been as mad if Ace had suddenly sailed away and avoided any kind of contact for ten whole years. Just knowing that he was sailing yet no clue if it was under the sun or on Davy Jones’ vessel. It was a surprise that he hadn’t been punched. Almost as big as the realization he had been stripped down to his underclothes. The sight of his heavily scarred body made him feel more naked than ever. Almost all of his left side covered in them, his shorts and tank top only managing to hide so much. He missed his gloves.

“They are mine. Stop stealing my stuff, Ace.”

The huff he received as an answer weighted hard on his stomach. Right. He had disappeared for ten years. Forgiveness wouldn’t come this quickly.

“Who the  _ fuck _ are you?”

The pure venom in the question made the Revolutionary look up. His brother’s eyes oh, so very cold. He felt a chill run up his spine.  _ Had he forgotten? Was his disappearance such a betrayal that Ace did not even see him as a brother anymore? Or even worse, had he read his running away as someone else abandoning him because of the blood in his veins? _

“I’m- Can’t you… I’m Sabo.”

In a second, Ace was on him, yanking him up to bring his face close, the rage burning in his eyes even deeper than what he once thought. “ _ Don’t fucking lie to me _ .  _ Who _ told you about Sabo? You better talk quickly, because you ruined my mood.  _ Who. Are. You?” _

“Wha-  _ I’m Sabo _ .” He answered, almost offended now. Had he changed that much in the last 10 years? The scar was a big change, but who would even lie about him? And why was someone talking about him so surprising?

Ace threw him back down, flame sprouting from his shoulders now. He looked pissed off. More than Sabo had ever seen him, and Ace was a  _ very  _ angry kid. “Sabo died ten years ago. So do tell me  _ how the fuck _ you got his goggles before I-”

“Died?!” Well this was a twist he hadn’t expected. Neither Ace nor Luffy knew about him sailing away. So how would they think he was dead from his letter? He did mention going out to sea, not off to Davy Jones. There was also no way Sabo’s brothers would have gone to watch the Celestial Dragon’s arrival. It was not in their bucket list, for sure. “Who said I ever  _ died _ ?”

“Sabo  _ died,” _ his brother wrongly corrected. “My  _ brother _ died, shot down by a Celestial Dragon. So I’ll ask one last time before you’re swimming with the fishes. Where. Did. You. Get. The. Goggles?”

So they knew. Or at least learned about the accident that almost took his life. One bare hand caressed the edge of the scar on his cheek. Someone had seen. And someone told them he had died. Not that it was so far from the truth, he did forget about them for ten full years.

“Who was at the docks?” He whispered more for himself than for Ace, not even noticing how the man froze at the question. “Neither you nor Luffy were, I know that…Dadan? No, I would have spotted her and she would have jumped in. Dogra?”   
  
The pirate in front of him had started shaking, visibly torn as he clenched his fists tight enough to leave half-moons into the meat of his palm.

“Shit you thought I was dead!  _ Fuck! _ Luffy probably cried so much. What kind of brother-”

The punch had been expected.

The timing was a surprise.

“You  _ asshole!” _

~~~

Since the blond had woken up, Ace had been on edge. Blue eyes locked up on him and everything felt too small, as if he wasn’t on his trusty boat on the open sea, but in a stuffy room hellbent on crushing him.

“Hey, those are mine.” Came the voice, so similar to the one that still haunted him some days. Just a bit more mature, but so, so close to the one he wished so hard to hear again.

Yet the goggles were Sabo’s.  _ That _ he could believe, so he fought back the lump in his throat. “Nu uh they’re not. But I’d love to know where you got them.”

And from there… _ from there it got worse. _ The ache settling into his very bones at every new gesture, every new word. The amber of hope that he wanted- no,  _ needed  _ to snuff out. Sabo was  _ dead _ . Hoping for the opposite would bring him nowhere. So he pulled the man up then threw him down. Trying to let go, to ignore the maybes filling his head. The physical need to ask, to be close, to hold his brother in his arms.  _ But this was a stranger. _ The wearer of cruel fate here to haunt and taunt him. And then, something cut right through his rage to stab his heart.

“Who was at the docks?”

Had he spoken about Sabo sailing away? About the docks? He might have, but he didn’t remember. So why?  _ How? _

“Neither you nor Luffy were, I know that… Dadan? No, I would have spotted her and she would have jumped in. Dogra?”

Names. He hadn’t mentioned any names. He knew that. Some Marines might have heard from the Smoke guy about Luffy and his brotherhood bond, but Dadan?  _ Dogra? _ No.

_ No one _ could have known.  _ And yet- _

“Shit you thought I was dead! _ Fuck!” _ Exclaimed the blond, bringing Ace back to the present for a moment. “Luffy probably cried so much. What kind of brother-”

Ace’s fist flew before he could think about stopping it as did his voice, raw with a mix of pain and grief. “You  _ asshole!” _

At least Sabo,  _ because who else could it be _ , had the decency to look guilty as he laid there, slowly getting on his elbows to face Ace as much as he could without completely getting up. A hand going to his cheek that was bound to swell in the near future.

“You dissapear for  _ ten whole fucking years! _ And no letter? No  _ hello? _ And don’t you go off telling me it was to protect Luffy or me. This was your  _ worse fucking stunt  _ yet! Do you  _ know _ how hard Luffy  _ broke? _ How hard  _ I-” _ The lump had grown exponentially in his throat. Choking him mid-speech. Eyes already burning from tears he didn’t want to allow to fall.

“Ace…”

Barely above a whisper, almost as broken as he felt, as he was.

“Ace  _ I’m so sorry.” _   
  
“I don’t want your fucking apologies! You  _ left _ us! You-”   
  
“I forgot.”

Ace looked down. Well, if he wasn’t already mad and Sabo wasn’t out of immediate punching range, the blond would have gotten another hit.

Forgot? He  _ forgot? _ Who the fuck  _ forgets _ to message his own brothers? To see them,  _ at least _ greet them when Ace turned seventeen? What kind of sick freak even  _ thought _ that it was ok? Knowing they thought him dead or not?

“You  _ forgot? That’s _ your excuse?” Screamed Ace, fury filling his whole body as he looked up. To freeze yet again. Because Sabo didn’t look embarrassed or guilty about being off the map for so long. No. He looked as if Ace had utterly destroyed him. Face showing nothing but sheer raw pain.

“I’m so sorry. I  _ swear _ I  _ didn't _ want to. I didn't have a  _ choice _ . They- I lost them all. You, Luffy…” Sabo’s breath hitches and he suddenly looks down, as if forgetting Luffy was the final line before holding out his end became too much. “ _ Hell _ , all I remembered was that I didn’t want to go back to my parents. If my name hadn’t been written on my clothes I probably wouldn’t even have it anymore.” Tears pool at the edge of his scar before blond locks attempt to cover them. Well, the tears or the scar. Ace bets on the second one.

And his brain finally got up to speed. That Sabo didn’t casually forget about passing by to say hi. That his whole memory was taken away from him.

“Sabo,” he tried, softer this time. Because for some fucked up reason, he only got it  _ now _ . “Sabo look at me.”

“I was so  _ scared _ to remember at first,” the blond hiccups, still looking down. “And then I just stayed with the Revolutionary that fished me out and healed me. And I didn’t think about ever even trying to reach you two because I couldn’t-  _ I couldn’t fucking remember my brothers _ and-”   
  
In one swift move, Ace grabs his brother by the shoulder and pulls him into his arms, ignoring the hat that falls from his head into his back. Ignoring the almost painfull press of both the goggles and the necklace squished between them. Because it’s  _ him _ ,  _ Sabo _ , his  _ brother _ , a part of his soul he thought forever gone for so long. It’s  _ him _ , in his arms.

“Sabo.  _ I missed you.” _

~~~

He’s falling down a dark whirlwind of emotions. He knows that, and yet he cannot stop.

Keeping eye contact with Ace had been too hard. How those grey familiar eyes kept widening with surprise or rage or… Sabo wasn’t strong enough for that. Which means he was sitting up and slowly folding into himself, gestures slowly getting closer to his torso as if wishing to disappear or hide. Well, that was what he wished for. To hide away or at least have somewhere to do so as his brother, if he ever considered Sabo one anymore, looked down on him and the mess he had become.

Forgetting his most important people. Who knew, he could have only remembered years later, not being able to see any of his brothers achieving their dream. Or even worse, he could have remembered after one _ died. _

He’s not sure what he’s saying anymore, everything sounds muffled, as if he fell into the sea and he can’t breathe correctly and-

One second he’s shaking from his spot on the small wooden dock of Ace’s ship, feeling his still wet clothes steal every small piece of heat he still owned. The next strong arms are around him and pulling him into a board chest that is warm and safe. He can smell Ace, at least a small piece of home he didn't know how much he missed until he had it back. And he breaks. Allows himself to breath deeply before sobs steal whatever he could have said next. There, in his brother’s arms, he cries out ten years worth of grief he hadn’t even known about until this day. Until his hand uncovered a smirk unseen for such a long time.

And Ace holds on, because of course he would. The oddity of him starting the embrace is lost as Sabo passes his arms around him and holds on as strongly as he can. Because he knows how much he lost. And even Davy Jones wouldn’t be able to take him away from this place and moment. Not until he says so. Not until Ace stops dampening his shoulder. Not until Ace’s form stops shaking. Not until they are ready.

It takes them some time.

_ But eventually, they are. _

Moving back yet not breaking up contact yet, hands seeking each other and squeezing to be sure, to make it  _ real _ .

“Revolutionary, huh?” Asks Ace after a moment, eyes red and hair even wilder than before. Sabo knows he doesn’t look much better himself.

“Yeah. The leader of the Revolutionary army was passing by. He brought me to his ship where I was taken care of.”   
  
“How close?” This question is closer to a whimper than the last one.

“Close?”

“To death?” The raven-haired man breaths out, his hand squeezing his brother’s almost painfully so. “How close to death?”

“Too close,” Sabo answers, his hands squeezing his brother’s back. Reassuring. “But I pulled through.”

“Ok.”

There is a silence, but neither care about how long it stretches. The sea itself would not separate them. But Sabo breaks it this time.

“Devil Fruit?”

“Yeah, Mera-Mera no mi. I’m a flame man.” It isn’t said with as much energy as he usually sported. But who could blame him. After all, they’d just met again after 10 long years.

“That’s cool. I bet I can still kick your ass.”

“We’ll see about that.”

They share grins and the tension finally releases its hold on them. Yes. They’re back. Even if everything still hurts.

Something pings Sabo’s memory and he jumps to his feet, making the boat wobble dangerously on the waves. “My things! Shit, I almost forgot!”

“Your…things?” Asks Ace, getting up more carefully, soon back to his usual spot.

“I left them on a nearby island before getting on the Intelligence ship! Where are we right now?”  _ Koala was going to kill him. _ He hadn’t brought his baby Den Den, fearing it ringing and blowing up his cover. Which meant that she could have been calling for a very long time. Well, he also missed his hat and having more of his skin covered. Scratch that.  _ A lot more _ of his skin covered. The red scars itched under the sunlight and he could already feel his left arm starting to tremble from the stress. Thank Davy Jones he was ambidextrous.

“Well, we’re close to one island if you want to check. Might be the one if we’re lucky?”

Sabo laughed. Yeah.  _ As if. _

_ It was. _

And Ace was not going to shut up about it,  _ was he? _

~~~

His abs hurt. Sabo’s face had been priceless as they finally approached the lone island. After fifteen good minutes of whining about how long it would take to get a map, spot where they were, and sail to the island he was searching for. The dumbstruck look and wide eyes almost made Ace choke.

_ “Told you so!” _ He still managed to exclaim as they finally reached the docks.

_ “Shut up,” _ groaned his blond brother, arms crossed tightly around himself. “You were just lucky.”

Taking a small break from his full-body laughing, Ace grabbed the long-sleeved Marine coat that had been hanging from the sails and threw it over Sabo’s shoulders. “Come on, cover up.”

The blond probably noticed how he made sure to completely dry and warm up the fabric beforehand, but didn’t point it out. “Says the shirtless one.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault you like stuffy clothes. Just put pants on and we’re off to find your gear.” Ace paused, his imagination running wild. Well, ten years away from his brother might have changed Sabo’s fighting style. He honestly wondered how much had changed since. If the brother he tied up with for so long now had the upper hand. They would have to try it out. Soon. But not now.

He didn’t miss the grateful look that was sent his way. Scars really did seem to bother him a lot. It was understandable. None of them were pretty or linked to the epic story of a fight against monsters. Just a Celestial Dragon being an asshole and shooting down a ten-year-old kid that seeked the simple freedom granted by the blue seas.

As Sabo led the way, the Commander allowed himself to get lost in thoughts. About what to do next. If the information he had gotten was true, Blackbeard was close by. A few days of sailing away, on Banaro Island. And while his soul longed for more time with his brother, he knew that he couldn’t miss Teach again.

Thatch deserved to be avenged and Sabo to continue whatever he was currently working on, no matter what it was.

Talking about the Revolutionary, the man had stopped next to a pile of boulders and crouched down to dig in the soft sand.

“Your uniform is going to be  _ so _ full of sand,” Ace mumbled with humor in his voice. “That sucks.”

“Seriously, Ace. After all those years I thought you’d be smarter.” Came the retord, sent over a shoulder with a devilish grin. “Here we go.”

A wooden crate was pulled from a space that had been perfectly hidden from sight by the sand. After dusting most of the sand off, Sabo opened it with a gleeful expression, immediately pulling out a familiar top hat. Ace’s cheeks hurt from how wide his smile had grown. Not only had Sabo remembered his name, but apparently his hat had been saved from the wreckage too.

In a sudden loss of his previous need for his scars to be covered, the Revolutionary shed off his Marine uniform to slip into what could only be his usual clothes. Oh Ace was going to have a field trip about the _handkerchief_ being tied around his brother’s throat. The black coat and boots finished the look, still in tones of blues as he had made them his signature when they were children.

“You still dress the same,” he chuckled, yanking on the edge of the dark coat with a raised eyebrow.

“Wait for it,” said Sabo before reaching into the rocks again and sliding out…

“No way!”

“Yes way.”

It registered to the pirate that the only reason the pipe was now in his hands was because Sabo put it there with a smile, not because of the speed at which he had tried to grab it away.

“Apparently, it was worth some kind of memory,” smiled the blond gently, slipping on leather gloves. “Took me long enough to understand why I could kick everyone’s ass with one as a kid.”

“You look ridiculous.” Ace countered, making the iron pipe spin in his hand, reminded of simpler times. A grin crawled on his face as he finally looked in his brother’s eyes. “But I guess I’ll forgive you since we just found each other again.”

“I’ll forgive you for your utter and complete lack of decency, then.” Sabo smiled back. “Now give me back my goggles.”   
  
If Ace hadn’t been in such need of seeing his brother with his full uniform, he might have hesitated before slipping them over his head and tossing them to his brother.

Sabo put them back on the brim of his hat, grabbing his pipe before strapping it to his back and getting some more items from the crate. One of them who immediately started making noise.

“Puru puru puru.”

“You got a Den Den?” Asked Ace, an eyebrow raised as he crossed his arms, wondering what his brother would do.

“Yes, and I’m about to get torn to shreds. Sorry about that.”

There wasn’t time for an answer before the line opened to a furious voice.

_ “Sabo I swear to all the fishes in the sea that the second you get back to the base I will rip your head off!” _ Said a high-pitched voice, the face of the Den Den nothing but fury.   
  
“Sorry, Koala. I got the suitcase,” answered Sabo, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry about not calling, I didn’t want to blow my cover.”   
  
_ “Blow your cover? We heard that Firefist Ace broke into the base you were going to and that the ship you were on caught on fire! That was you, wasn’t it?” _

“Yeah, I kind of ran out of options.”

Ace sat down on the sand with his legs crossed, quickly finding a comfortable position to wait it out, his chin resting on his hand, elbow on his bended knee. This was bound to be fun.

_ “Ran out of options? Apparently a Marine fitting your description was seen held hostage by Firefist as he broke out! Please tell me you’re okay!” _

It was nice to hear someone worry about his brother. It at least meant that he had people out there who cared.

“Well, I wouldn’t say I was a hostage-”   
  
“Oh you were  _ definitely _ a hostage,” piped in Ace with a shark’s smile. “Real limp and useless as I broke us both out.”

“Ace!” Exclaimed Sabo in outrage, prompting his brother into a new fit of giggles.

_ “Is that Firefist?!”  _ Asked the woman at the other end of the line, voice both curious and protective. Good.

“Yeah, yeah. You’re one of my brother’s friends?”   
  
_ “Yes, I’m Sabo’s friend…” _ There was a small pause and he could swear he heard the gears turning into the woman’s – Koala’s – mind. Then the realisation apparently dawned on her.  _ “Hold up.  _ Brother _?!”  _

“Thank you for taking care of him. He can be quite a handful.” The bow was useless through a Den Den, but the intention was there.

“Look who’s talking,” grumbled Sabo as he stuck his tongue out at Ace from his own sitting spot before he turned back to the snail to explain. “Ace crossed paths with me and made me remember. We just got my gear back.”

_ “That’s…that’s great, Sabo!” _ Koala said, voice a little shaky.  _ “Does… Does that mean you’re leaving the Revolutionaries?” _

The question prompted a loud laugh from the blond. “No, no. Don’t worry. I may just use some of my vacation leave for a week or two. I got another stupid brother to see.”

_ “Another? How many are you? No. Nevermind. Don’t answer that.” _

“Well, I’ll keep in touch and send the intelligence your way. Talk to you later.”

Before she could answer, the call ended. Sabo immediately turned to his brother with a grin on his face. “Well, now, where’s our next stop?”

_ Oh no. _

~~~

As soon as the question left his mouth, he felt more than saw how Ace closed himself off. Sabo frowned at the uncharacteristic emotions crossing his brother’s face. Was he- Didn’t he want to spend more time with him?

“I…you can’t come with me for this, Sabo,” came the answer, grey eyes still avoiding his blue ones.

“Why?” Maybe he didn’t deserve to ask this question, but his brother’s state was starting to worry him.

“I’m searching for a traitor. I can’t bring you into that fight.” Ace explained, finally looking up.

“Coming with doesn’t mean I’ll step into the fight, Ace.” Said Sabo, crossing his arms. He was in no place to ask that of his brother, but the refusal hurt. “Can you at least tell me who you’re going for?”

“Marshall D. Teach.” The Pirate spit out. Obviously upset at the mere name. “He calls himself Blackbeard these days. He murdered a crewmate so I’m hunting him down. He was part of my-”

“ _ Blackbeard? _ You’re going against him  _ alone?” _ Now. Sabo knew his brother. Or at least he did from five to ten years old, but he had also heard about Blackbeard and his attack on what used to be the Drum kingdom. How he laid waste as if he was simply trying out a new toy. The Revolutionaries had been too slow to help and the casualties were nothing to laugh at. “What were you  _ thinking?! _ Did your Captain even agree to this?”

Ace’s silence was enough to understand the situation at least a little better.

“It’s my responsibility.” He croaked out, obviously not having expected the blond’s outrage.

“Sure. But you’re really going to go about an overpowered psycho alone? You were never the smartest but  _ come on, Ace!” _ Sabo made sure to ignore the offended exclamation sent his way. “No way I let my brother go against such an unhinged man alone, Devil Fruit or not.”   
  
“I’m a Commander-”

“I don’t care about your _ fucking title!” _ He was back on his feet, screaming. Something terrible now festering inside of him. Something terrified about losing someone he had just got back after so long. “I’m not going to stand by and watch my brother throw his life away because he believes it's the right thing to do or whatever. I lost you once and I am not about to repeat that.”

Ace at least had the decency of looking guilty. “Sabo, I-”

_ “I don’t want to hear it! _ If you’re going to throw yourself into stupid situations, I will follow to keep you alive. And don’t even try to keep me away.”

“This is my fight!” Finally, Ace was up again, flames licking his sides as fire filled his eyes. “Not yours, not Luffy’s! It’s my responsibility and I won’t let you take that from me!”

“Then let me be there!” Huffed Sabo, ignoring the heat coming out of the other man. He had no time for flashbacks, no time for fear. “I won’t step in, but I won’t let you go alone and fall into a fucking trap! We agreed!  _ No regrets!” _

This managed to shut Ace up for a few seconds, shoulders heaving from his heavy breaths. But the flames died down. The anger faded. Both faced each other, still trembling from the emotion, from the relief of their meeting as well as the fear of possibly losing each other again.

“Just let me be there, Ace. I’m begging you.”

Sabo’s voice was so weak, it was a wonder Ace even heard it over the noises coming from around them. Wind in palm trees, waves crashing on the beach only a few feet away.

“If you die on my watch again I won’t forgive myself, Bo.” The nickname cut through the air. So familiar yet painful to hear. The mark of a past life both had thought lost. “Luffy won’t survive another dead brother.”

“Even more reason to follow you and keep you alive, then.”

The chuckle that followed sounded dull. But when Sabo took a step, Ace met him halfway, both falling into each other’s arms, clinging to their oldest lifeline. Neither cried even if eyes of both grey and blue shone more than usual. Arms simply tightened around the other.

“You can come.”

“Good. I’m not letting you die, I can promise you that.”

“Then it’s a deal.”

  
**TBC**


	5. Banaro Island

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I told you to stop worrying. I’m here, idiot.”
> 
> “If you step into my fight, I’m kicking your ass.”
> 
> Sabo threw his head back with laughter, quickly joined by the pirate he still clung to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are! Chap 5 already! Where things get intense!!!
> 
> I'd like to thank every single kudos and Comments I get on this fic, it warms my heart every single time~  
> I need to get back on track and get some correction and illustrations in advance!
> 
> As usual, thanks to theprodigypenguin who helped me with the story (and had many idea about angsty stuff because we both love to hurt Sabo for some reason)  
> And for this chapter in particular, HUGE THANKS TO SoccerSarah01 who helped out A TON with the parts where it flowed more poorly by adding some small things that made all the difference!
> 
> Now! Let's do this!

Ace had thought about his next meeting with Marshall D. Teach for months now. What he would do or say. If he was going to start with his strongest attack or gauge the traitor’s powers first. Planned with temperature, with the hour of the day, with how much he would have eaten previously. Yet he still found himself docking on Banaro island with the biggest change he could have thought about. His brother by his side. Sabo calmly tied the vessel to a wood pillar and rechecks the knot a few times to be sure. Expression closed.

It terrified him. The idea of his brother possibly getting caught into his own battle. And yet, nothing reassures him more than having his brother’s presence by his side. Strong. Grounded. A wild card he had not planned to use yet could if ever needed. Someone he _knew_ could protect Luffy if things went sideways.

“Stop stressing out, Ace. We’re going to get as much food into you as we can and then you’ll get your vengeance. Don’t worry about it too much before it even starts.”

Strong. Grounding. Sabo.

“As if I was worried. I’m a Commander,” Ace pushed back with a grin, relieved when Sabo didn’t point how his voice shook. There would not be any second chance for this. He was winning, or he was going to die. Or worse. It’s not like he really knew the man he used to call his brother anymore.

His actual brother grabbed his shoulder before gently pushing him inland toward what could only be a restaurant. “I told you to stop worrying. I’m here, idiot.”

“If you step into my fight, I’m _kicking your ass_.”

Sabo threw his head back with laughter, quickly joined by the pirate he still clung to.

Traumatising the restaurant owner was the next step of their weird plan. Well, they hadn’t really counted on ruining the cooks’ and owner’s day, but that’s what had always happened when the two walking black holes had gone out to eat. Never mind with Luffy - with him, it was even  _ worse _ . And they’ve never done it together as adults before.

Plates were emptied almost too quickly for the other patrons’ widened eyes to follow. Hands snatching from each other’s plate in a ballet that hadn’t been recited in ten long years yet that they each knew by heart. A whole loaf of bread disappeared in Ace’s mouth before he blacked out, coming back to himself with a face full of the pasta that had the bad luck of staying in front of his face. He noticed some missing content from one of the biggest servings they had gotten, but more were already joining the table. And Sabo was laughing at him.

“Nice moustache,” he gleefully exclaimed, pointing to a noodle sticking to Ace’s upper lip and dangling not unlike facial hair would.

“Very funny,” was the answer before he slurped the food and wiped his face on the table cloth at the horror of the waitress. Then the fight was back on as if the Narcolepsy episode had been but a detail.

After a few minutes, both men leaned back into their chair, table cleaned from everything but a few breadcrumbs and some spilled sauce. A look to the blonde by his side, patting his stomach, a nod, and they were off, running out with grins as the cooks and owner attempted to grab them.

Sabo got visibly surprised as Ace stopped to bow down in thanks, but he joined before their escape resumed. Then it was time.

They stood face to face in an alley, eyes once again hard as steel, no more humor from either of them. That whole part of the town was empty and broken down. From the voices coming closer, they had found their mark. Sabo’s hands grabbed his shoulder and he could feel them shaking.

“You’re not allowed to lose. Got it?”

“I could kick your ass. I’m not gonna lose,” he answered, voice tense.

“ _Good_.”

It was a fact. Not a possibility. At least not in Sabo’s eyes. Failure is not an option, and while Ace had known that fact since they had found the Fourth Commander’s prone body on the floor of his room, he was never faced with it as strongly as in those blue eyes.

Then Sabo’s arms were around him, squeezing. “Come back to me.”

“I will.”

They held each other for a moment, neither ready to let go, too desperate for touch, to assure each other of the presence of the other. But they let go. Eyes wet but no tears yet. There was no reason for them.

“Go kick this fucker’s ass.”

“Sabo!” He gasped in mock outrage, yet more tension leaving his shoulders. “ _Language_!”

He walked away from the alley and jumped up on a roof, sending thumbs up his brother’s direction before he could leave his line of sight, receiving a tense smile in return. Then his face fell with his arms. It was time. He sat down upon the roof and waited.

~~~

If there was one thing Sabo hated, it was waiting. He was good at it. The cause wasn’t won by rushing into danger head-first, after all. It was planned, almost to the second. Checking details until there was no room for failure. Sure, he wasn’t the one that sat at a desk to plan those. He was the Chief of Staff, the hot-headed Second in Command that loved running face first into the most dangerous of missions, always eager to punch something or someone. But this was not the time. Not when Ace’s life could be in danger in the hands of Blackbeard.

Gaining back his memories didn’t mean he now knew how his brother was raised and passed his time until he reached their meeting. How he had trained, how he had lived. He had heard a bit about Fire Fist Ace while he was the Captain of the Spade Pirates. Snippets he never really focused on. A snort when he turned down the Warlord position. The base facts about his devil fruit. Joining the Whitebeards.

But that wasn’t enough. Not when Blackbeard was already known for his lack of honor and unpredictability.

So Sabo had a plan: to watch and make sure the battle was fair without any outside help from the traitor’s crew. Ace was honorable to a fault, refusing to back down from fights even if he was about to lose them, and that was a flaw some opportunity-seeking pirate could try using to tip the scales.

So here he was, top hat proudly standing on his head as he watched the exchange from a dark corner, careful to hide his haki. If Marshall D. Teach had indeed planned this for so long, there was no guarantee he hadn’t hid more than his dark plans and trained his observation haki enough to catch a weaker user.

The proposition that was sent Ace’s way to join Blackbeard’s crew was preposterous at best. But he knew his brother enough to react with just a smile, but he couldn’t help himself when Luffy was mentioned. That was a line he hadn’t expected to be crossed. If there was anything left of the traitor after Ace was done with him… 

Well. There wouldn’t be any left, after Sabo had his say.

Shots were fired without his brother’s voice doing as little as wavering. No seastones bullets. Good.

The blond watched the exchange, both relieved and worried that the large man seemed to agree to a one-on-one by sending his men away. It meant that he wouldn’t have to stay idle as the battle raged; that he would be able to act if the monster’s minion tried to step in. But there was something dark floating over the brothers’ head. Some odd instinct screaming at him to be wary, to think twice…to not leave Ace to fight alone. To grab him and run.

His leather gloves creaked as he clenched his fists against his sides.

No. It was Ace’s fight. And he would respect that. Until he absolutely needed to step in, Sabo would wait. No matter how much the idea hurt him. He would follow his brother’s wish.

One second they were talking about their shared stories, the next, it began.

A pole of darkness sprouted from the middle of the battle grounds that was the town, the goons rushing out of the way. Smart of them to do so, and Sabo knew he needed more distance himself. Darkness was spreading on the ground now and didn’t bode well. He dashed away, making sure to keep cover and leaving the darker space right before the streets and houses were swallowed by the ground. No. By Blackbeard’s fruit. In an instant there was only Teach and Ace standing in the middle of an empty field until the ruins of the town’s building spat out of the lingering darkness.

As much as he wanted to get close, he couldn’t. Not when fire exploded. Not when he saw Ace seemingly jump directly at the other man, taking a direct punch that didn’t seem covered in Haki. Something was going on and it was big. Bigger than the boulder that seemed to fall into their arena made of orange and black. The short silent stillness that followed made his heart clench painfully. Torn between his instincts to run away and his soul begging him to grab Ace and  _ go _ .

An entire sun lit up the field and collided with unbelievable darkness.

His decision was made.

Sabo jumped in.

Stepping over debris left by the shock, ignoring the wind that resulted from the clash of two abilities too strong for human beings. Slamming between what was left of houses and streets to finally find the center of the crater. Dust gently settling as if nothing major had ever happened on those grounds. Both men were knocked prone.

The one that stood up wasn’t the right one and Sabo threw himself in front of the pitch black spear nearing Ace, who had barely managed to push himself up onto his elbows.

Flexing his fingers with all the rage he felt, the spear shattered like glass, clouds of dust finally showing him clearly the bloodied face of the murderer.

“I’m sorry, Ace,” he said, voice leaning toward a growl, Feral and angry. “I’m stepping in.”

“Well, well, well,” purred the big pirate fully standing up, wisps of ink spilling from his fingers. “What do we have here? A new contender? I don’t remember you from Pops’ little family.”

“Well, I know you, Marshall D. Teach. Quite the trouble maker aren’t you?” Sabo answered with the same tone, even if, while Teach’s was syruppy, his was icy and poisonous. “Drum Kingdom as testing grounds, then making your way and leaving your mess for the good people to clean.”

“Wait. I know you.” There was some surprise in the pirate’s voice that brought a cruel grin to the blond’s face. “You’re the Revolutionary brat! Dragon’s second in command! What the hell are you doing here?”

“Picking up trash.” He sing-song back, twirling his pipe in front of Ace. A warning half-disguised as a taunt. “And the official title is Chief of Staff. Quite fitting, don’t you think?”

The wide man laughed out at the sky before a predatory smile split his face in two. “And so you step into other people’s fight? Or maybe all the Revolution is like you. Waiting until the enemy is down to kick it? Don’t you worry, I have no bones to pick with you, just the idiot on his knees behind you. Just hand him over.”

Sabo tsked loudly, his pipe coming to a stop in front of Ace, its width doing nothing to hide him, yet still sending a clear message. “I won’t. Because, you know, he might be an idiot, but he’s my idiot. Well, Luffy’s too, but right now he’s out there living his adventures so I’ll cut in.”

“Ace’s little brother? Don’t tell me you two are also related?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, filthy stain of a man?”

The insult apparently hit since a new pole of darkness whooshed toward the brothers. His dragon claw shattered it not unlike the previous one, his pipe quickly cutting the surprising second one that had been aiming at Ace’s face. It was almost a killing blow. If he wasn’t before, Sabo was pissed off now, wondering for a moment if he was the one made of flames as his blood boiled with barely contained rage.

“Well, Marshall D. Teach. I’m the one who’ll cut off your head. Are you ready?”

“You? Don’t make me laugh, Kiddo! I got the strongest Devil fruit on these seas! You have no chance against-”

Sabo didn’t let him finish up his evil monologue. Luffy would have. Ace too. Not him. He knew there was no point and no pity or politeness to give this man. Not when he had clearly aimed at one of his most precious people and threatened the other. And apparently Blackbeard had expected him to sit and wait considering the terrified look that flashed in his eyes when a gloved hand black with haki closed up on his throat and squeezed.

There was no pity anywhere in Sabo’s body as he kept closing his hand, tighter and tighter. A surprise hit on his side made him fly into a pile of debris, kicking up a cloud of dust. Observation at least had allowed Sabo to cover the area in haki before the bullet could pierce him and he rolled to cover, taking a second to set his mind straight, his side pulsing painfully. The minions were back, probably having noticed the weird standoff from afar. How had he even let himself get so consumed by rage he stopped being careful? Koala would have his skin if she heard about that.

“Who is this kid?” Exclaimed a broad man with curly hair and a mask. Definitely Burgess. Well, at least he knew he could take him on. “You ok, Captain?”

Sabo jumped back into the frey, a bullet barely grazing his cheek before a dark pipe was shattering the sharpshooter’s weapon. A step, just enough to send him airborne, and he swung at Burgess’ head, finding joy in the cracking sound that followed. Ace was far, too far. And it was a question of seconds before Blackbeard and his crew noticed the easy prey.

Feet touching back the ground, the blond crouched down, burying his fingers into the dirt. “Dragon’s Breath.” The ground exploded, making every pirate lose balance just long enough for the Revolutionary to dash and reach his brother.

“Black Whirl,” growled Blackbeard before Sabo felt his whole body being pulled back, his gloved hand brushing gently the top of Ace’s head before he zoomed backward. “I got ya little Revolutionary!”

A closed fist met Sabo’s spine. If it hadn’t been covered in Armament Haki, this might have been the end...a hand closed on his throat, squeezing as he did previously. Slower still. Apparently the man liked hearing himself talk a bit too much. Good. The pipe striked one knee hard enough to shatter the bone and Sabo dropped, coughing hard. This was definitely leaving marks. Shit, Koala was going to  _ kill him _ .

“You fucking pest!” Growled the man covered in darkness behind him, attempting to reach him and breaking the ground where the blond once stood. “Come back here so I can kill you!”

“I’ll pass,” he tried to answer cheerfully. His voice was hoarse. Damnit. “But I’ll return the offer.”

When the pull started again, he didn’t fight it. He jumped in, surprising the pirate yet again with the speed he was granting the blond without planning to do so.

“ _ Shit- _ ”

There was a very therapeutic crack heard as Teach’s nose shattered under Sabo’s fist. Quickly dethroned by the pained yell when Sabo reached for the killing blow.

“Stop or Fire Fist dies!”

He did. Immediately. His Observation Haki suddenly screamed as others appeared around Ace. He didn’t have to look to know there was a blade against his brother's throat and a pistol pressed to his dirty dark hair. Sabo saw red.   
  
“Give it up, Revolutionary brat. Your brother is a goner as you are!” Taunted the captain, showcasing his smile missing too many teeth. “I have no bone to pick with you, so as long as you walk away, I won’t kill you or your brother. How’s that for a deal?”

He wanted to scream, to bare his teeth and fight until he cannot stand anymore, but Ace’s soul, his Voice that burned so bright, suddenly snuffed out. Sabo looked, because the raw fear that clenched his heart almost makes him break. Seastone cuffs. The Whitebeard Commander dropped like a sac at the loss of his last sparks of energy, but he was breathing. A small prayer was sent to the sea before the Revolutionary turned back, posture straight despite his broken ribs, toward Blackbeard.

“Why would I agree to take a deal that brings my brother to his death?”

“Doesn’t have to be. If he agrees to become part of my crew, he would-”

“I won’t ask again.” Sabo snapped, eyes burning cold. “Why do you think that, for a second, I would sell my own brother?”

The pirate threw his head back and laughed, not minding the chill that settles in the air. “I thought Revolutionaries were smart! You’re doing a great job of proving me wrong!” In a second, the good humor left. Only promises as dark as the wisps still running down his silhouette seeping into his voice. “Then I guess the Marines would love receiving a Whitebeard Commander and the Second in Command of the Revolutionary Army, wouldn’t they?”

Sabo was thinking, plotting, planning. Turning everything in his head in the search of an answer, a way out. Ace was still being held down, too many weapons aiming at his head and ready to snuff out his life. Blackbeard was too powerful to let roam free, filling everyone’s ears with his poison…

Oh.

“What’s your plan, Teach?”

And the monologue started.

~~~

Ace…wasn’t doing so well. A knee, probably Burgess’, was pressing into his back, squarely on his tattoo. He could feel the blade and the nozzle of the pistol against his head, the cold seeping into him like it always did when seastone was involved. The downside of being made of flame wasis being incredibly cold when the warmth is taken away. He wondered how Luffy would feel with seastone and immediately forced the thought away. Luffy is and will always be free. He promised and will promise this again and again. No one will harm his little brother’s dream or put him in shackles.

He turneds his attention to Sabo, craning his neck to spot the exchange between his brother and the traitor he faces. It has been so long since he saw the blond, and, suddenly, taking time to look takes his breath away. Muscular posture, even if hidden by the dark coat, assured, proud. Something so noble yet rebellious. Ace, despite having his face pressed into dust and debris, felt incredibly proud. Gone was the fear of getting caught, the pain of his origins weighing heavily on his shoulders. The man facing Blackbeard was the same boy that killed a crocodile that swallowed Luffy whole. Ready, alert and thoroughly pissed off.

If he’d seen anything since Sabo stepped in, it’s that he was stronger than Ace, without a doubt. And that made him smile. Because if Sabo was stronger than before, his plans must be incredibly interesting.

Incredibly  _ dangerous _ .

Teach started monologuing, but Ace stared at his brother.

He has something in his hand. A gun? No. Too small. A knife? Ace wanted to smile but fought it back. If Teach or his crew noticed his glee, the effect of surprise would be worth nothing, and if he knows his brother, the whole plan counts on it.

But Teach didn’t shut up. His monologue kept going on forever, probably resting on the fake feeling of security having Ace hostage gave him.

Then, there was a bang-  _ pain _ \- and Burgess fell directly on him, squishing him to the ground and forcing the breath from his lungs. His new position covered his view, making the red hot pain that came from his leg impossible to keep quiet. He bit his tongue a second too late and knew Sabo heard. He hoped it didn’t distract him.

There was a crack, a gasp, a yelp, something falling to the ground...and silence.

Silence that stretched for too long.

“Sabo?” Ace finally croaked, a small sliver of fear spilling into his voice.

Footsteps answered him, getting closer, taking their time. Limping, too, if he heard it right. Then Burgess was off of him and someone pulled him up on his knees and-

His brother was shaking when he pulled him into his chest with one arm, sobs wracking his whole body. It took some time for Ace’s brain to get up to speed and look over Sabo’s shoulder. Teach’s body laid limp a few feet away, Sabo’s discarded pipe bloody next to the body- no, the corpse of the traitor. There was no sound coming from the henchmen previously behind him and Ace just knew they weren’t breathing anymore either.

“Sabo?” He tried again, gently, unable to move his arms to return the embrace both from the exhaustion and the heavy cuffs still pinning them behind his back. “Sabo, are you ok?”   


Only more sobbing answered him, paired with a squeeze, almost painful. So he let his eyes slip close, and his brother  held him. The adrenaline of the fight slowly slipped away, replaced by the warmth of the embrace.

It took a minute for the blond to finally move back, cupping Ace’s face with unbelievable gentleness. “Are you ok?” He croaked, voice still hoarse from when Blackbeard had tried to choke him to death. “Ace, are you ok?”

“Yeah, Bo.” Ace leaned his head forward just a little bit, resting his forehead against Sabo’s. “Are you?”

The words had barely  left his tongue before he was crushed into Sabo’s shoulder again.

“I- I heard you scream and I thought-” His brother’s voice broke, but it was enough for Ace to understand. “I needed to take Blackbeard out first but- _Fuck_ - I just-”

“I’m ok, Bo. Just got shot in the leg. It’s ok.” Sabo clutched him a little closer, and Ace  leaned right back into him.

(He  _ really _ wished he had his hands free right about now.)

And if Sabo took another couple of minutes to be able to let go of him; to reassure himself that Ace was okay before finally getting up to help him to his feet, then so be it. He didn’t mind.

Sabo seemed to visibly struggle with leaving Ace’s side, dashing as quickly as he could over to where the keys to Ace’s cuffs were before returning to Ace, scooping his hat up along the way. Ace gave Sabo a smile of thanks as Sabo reached behind him and unlocked them.

“So. What next?” Ace finally asked as the cuffs fell off his wrists and the welcome warmth of his devil fruit finally filled him again. “Any idea?”

“Except nurse you back to health so I can kill you for attempting to take this fucker by yourself? Going to meet Luffy, I guess. He mentioned Water 7, that’s close by.”

Ace couldn’t help but chuckle. Yeah, Sabo was feeling better already despite the red-rimmed eyes badly hidden by blond locks and the top hat. “Well, Water 7 it is! They’ll probably have some kind of doctor with a standing building.”

“I’m sad for this town. The villagers didn’t deserve this.”

“We stopped it, didn’t we?”

“Yeah.” Sabo adjusted his left glove with his teeth, badly hiding how it hadn’t stopped trembling since the end of the battle. He looked like shit, and bones have to have been broken given how he favored his left side. “We did. Still would have prefered their houses to be spared. I’ll have to ask Dragon if the Army can spare some money to help them rebuild.”

“Well, well, well. Aren’t you the nicest boy in all the land?” Ace teased, patting his brother’s right shoulder. “Shall we go?”

“I still can’t believe that he thought going after Luffy was a good idea,” Sabo groaned, hand going to his bruised neck. “I almost stepped in right there and then.”

“Yeah, but it’s good now. Let’s just… Let’s just  _ go _ .”

Sabo nodded.

And both brothers finally walked away, to the Striker, ready to sail away from Banaro Island.

Ready to sail to their little brother.

**TBC**


	6. Luffy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He looked up at the sky, his straw hat catching the wind yet thankfully not flying away.
> 
> He missed Ace.
> 
> He missed Dadan.
> 
> He missed Makino.
> 
> Hell, he even missed Gramps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings! How is it going?!?!
> 
> Seriously, you guys don't have access to my google doc where the Beta-ing happens, but SoccerSarah01 is HOLDING MY WHOLE FIC ON HER BACK. The number of times she grabbed a paragraph I didn't like and just...typed one sentence that made it amazing?!?!?! By that point I should almost list her as co-autor tbh...
> 
> AS ALWAYS BIG SHOUTOUT TO THEPRODIGYPENGUIN THAT HELPED ME SO MUCH WITH THE IDEA <3
> 
> Here comes the third boy! Something peeps waited for a lot (I sure did)!
> 
> And, well, my best cliffhanger yet (or worst when you know you gotta wait a week for the rest)

Luffy…Luffy hurt.

And he couldn’t even allow himself to show it because Zoro was right. If he wavered now, he  put the whole crew in jeopardy. But he ached from the bruises and wounds Usopp gave him. No matter how close he had gotten to death before, how many times he wondered if Zoro or Sanji would be quick enough to bring him back out of the water when he fell, those wounds and fear were nothing even close to Usopp’s shots.

Because those mattered. Those were from a friend, a crewmate, someone that ached for the Merry as much as he did yet was so much closer to the dying vessel.

He looked up at the sky, his straw hat catching the wind yet thankfully not flying away.

He missed Ace.

He missed Dadan.

He missed Makino.

Hell, he even missed  _ Gramps _ .

But there he was, forced to keep his bleeding heart, his bleeding soul, hidden from the world, from the friends he should be able to trust in.

(And, as if Usopp wasn’t enough, Ace’s vivre card had started burning that morning.

He didn’t realize what it meant until old lady Kokoro saw it, and explained it to him.

Ace was dying. Ace, his big brother. Ace, who’d always been the one to support Luffy; to keep Luffy safe. Ace, who laughed and smiled and grinned like the sun. Ace, who  _ promised _ .

Promised he wouldn’t die.

Luffy couldn’t lose Ace.

But he couldn’t do anything about it now. Not yet.)

Sanji and Chopper were talking behind him and Luffy knew that his swordsman  was leaning against the wall of a small bell tower right next to them. Yet, he felt alone as their voices drifted off like Sanji’s smoke. They were talking about Robin, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Usopp. About the rage in his eyes. The tears trailing down his cheeks. The sheer betrayal that filled his expression during their fight.

He wanted to break.

He wanted to be able to fall into pieces and not have to stitch them back together immediately.

He wanted to grieve.

But he couldn’t.

(His crew needed him to be strong. He couldn’t break now.

Not yet.)

Luffy brought his knees closer to his chest and clutched them and forced himself not to cry, and had never felt more alone.

There was a quiet - an uncomfortable one - between him and his crewmates, for a while, but, then-

Then, there was someone sitting next to him.

“Ace!” Exclaimed his crew members with one single voice.

He turns his head to the man beside him. There is a bruise right over his left eyebrow and bandages around his neck and torso.

“Ace?” He asked, voice a little wobbly around the edges. “Are you ok?”

“Well,” his big brother said, eyes filled with love and concern. “Don’t worry about me. I’m more worried about what’s got my little brother so down.”

Luffy registered his friends quietly leaving the roof, but his focus was on Ace. Namely, on the scratches, the bruises and the cuts painting his uncovered skin. “You’re hurt.”

“I got patched up.” Ace stood and Luffy’s hand immediately  reached out to grab him. 

The oldest smiled gently before grabbing the outstretched hand and  pulling Luffy up with him, quickly jumping to the newly abandoned roof. Then, warm muscular arms pulled his head into a red beaded necklace he knows well, Ace’s voice coming gently from above him.

“So. Care to tell me what’s wrong?” Ace’s hand stroked Luffy’s back gently as a deep sigh leaves his lungs, rubber arms securing him as close as possible. “I came with a gift. Want me to give it to you now? It might brighten you up, Lu.”

Luffy nods mutely, trembling but warm despite the strong wind. He was pleased when Ace doesn’t let go of him, just makes a gesture that released one of his arms from Luffy’s grip. Then there were footsteps slowly edging closer and Luffy turns his head.

There was a stranger walking to him that stopped a few feet away, hesitance fading away in favor of furrowed eyes and an expression that always pops up when Luffy’s hurt that Luffy hasn’t seen in years- 

_ No. Don’t. _

Blond hair peeked from under the brim of a dark top hat, a black coat flapping in the wind put over a blue ensemble. It was familiar, yet Luffy couldn’t put his finger on why. 

(Luffy wanted to have Ace to himself. He wouldn’t break in front of his crew, much less in front of a stranger, no matter how cool the scar on his face was.)

When he looks up at his older brother, though, he was surprised to find a note of hurt in his grey eyes as Ace glanced over at the blond before moving down to Luffy again, Ace smiling gently with a squeeze around Luffy’s shoulders.

“Hey, come on, Lu. Don’t tell me you can’t recognise him,” Ace said softly, adjusting his grip.

“Ace…” Luffy’s voice almost broke. He’s so close to his brother. Only the stranger was keeping the breakdown at bay, away from the relief of crying at last.

“Luffy?” Came the stranger’s voice ( _ go away go away go away- _ ) from behind him. “Um…if you’re mad at me, I understand.”

Ace growled before Luffy gets a chance to answer. “Hey! Don’t do that! I can assure you he’s not mad! It’s been ten years, you can’t expect him to understand that you’ve been alive all this time so easily.” The grey eyes of his brother went back to him, kind and a little bit teary this time. Was Ace more hurt than he thought? His voice wass more hoarse than the last time they met but… “Can’t you recognise your older brother, Lu?”

That made him frown, offended. “Of course I recognise you! I would never not-”   
  
“Not me, Lu.”   
  
“What do you mean? You’re my only older brother since-”

Luffy froze.

(Since-

Since Sabo.

But it  _ couldn’t- _ )

When Luffy spun around, he almost expected the stranger to have vanished. For this to have been a dream, after all. But no. He was here, hair now free from his hat and being blown into his  familiar  blue eyes. His blue goggles sat upon the brim where they always belonged. His big napkin thing still was is around his neck, as if time had never passed. He looked bruised too, yet wasn’t missing a single tooth.

“Sabo?”

“Hey, Luffy. It’s been a while.”

There were tears trailing down Sabo’s cheeks, but Luffy’s  were just as quick to fall. He’d be the crybaby forever, even if Sabo cried too, even if Ace cried too. Just as long as…as long as he could touch him and be sure.

Be sure they’re alive.

His hand, still bandaged from his last battle against Usopp, moved up before he could even take a single step. Calloused fingertips caressed skin, warm skin, and he jolted away. Sabo, because it  _ was _ him, didn’t have time to feel guilty before rubber arms  latched around him and Luffy slingshotted into him, almost making both brothers fall while Ace laughed behind them.

“Sabo! Sabo it’s you!” Luffy sobbed loudly, saying a thousand things that get lost in translation as the dam broke.

He got pulled down against the railing, cradled into two pairs of arms. And he let go, finally. Of the tears and pain and hurt and all the heaviness that followed him and piled up since the man said that Merry was unsalvageable. Since Usopp demanded a duel he had no chance of winning. Since Robin disappeared and the cyborg Franky got a few hits on him.

But also the fear he had pushed away about Ace’s vivre card. About it burning and burning and not getting any better, even as Luffy tried to stay positive. His older brother now whispered sweet nothings from his spot at his back, running a warm hand through the black hair uncovered by the straw hat now hanging to Luffy’s neck. And Sabo, the brother he thought dead and lost for so many years, now had his arms locked around his rubber body, squeezing him too tight but in an embrace so, so similar to the ones he gave him in the past. Desperate to touch, to feel, to know this was real and that they were all here and alive.

So he broke.

But, now, there were others he trusts to put him back together. Mending the gaping wounds he thought he would have to ignore for too long.

“I’m here, Lu,” soothed Sabo, burying his face in his younger brother’s hair. “We’re both here. You’re safe.”

After a moment, he managed to talk.

~~~

Sabo wanted to punch many things. First, that Franky that beat up one of his brother’s crew members, his friend. Then that same friend, even if he knows Luffy would forbid him to, that was a problem that had been dealt with. And last, CP9. Because of course, when shit hit the fan, they were there.

When Luffy’s friend, a redhead girl who  reminded him of Koala, burst into the roof talking about the mayor of Water 7 getting shot, he knew what that was about. The organisation has already made quite a few kills on the Revolutionary's side. A problem he knew needed to be dealt with before his memory had even come back. Koala was going to  _ kill him dead _ .

Talking about her seemed to summon his Den Den’s ring, making his little brother, still clinging to his side, jump.

“What’s that?” He asked, not minding to the least the fact that they were supposed to be somewhat stealthy.

“Koala probably.” Sabo groaned as an answer, slipping the Den Den out of his pocket and-

Oh.

“Why aren’t you picking up?”

It wasn’t his Den Den. It was the one he had grabbed in the Marine ship’s office before he had put it on fire. No idea who could have had that number or even what kind of code it even had. It could be a standard Den Den, but what if it was Admiral leagues? If the fire swallowed the boat completely, there was no reason for them to even expect someone to pick up. So why?

It was only because he remembered his ten year old self and the menace that had been Luffy at that age that he snatched the Snail farther before a grabby hand could take hold of the receiver and take the call. His little brother pouted childishly at the denial.

“Why aren’t you picking up, Sabo?” He whined loudly.

“Because I have no idea who’s calling, Luffy.” Sabo sighed deeply, at least reassured when the teen crossed his arms instead of making more attempts to take hold of the communication device that was still ringing.

“Isn’t it your Den Den?” Smirked Ace from his spot, all teeth and mischievousness. Sabo had  _ missed _ this.

“No. It’s a Marine one.” He finally explained, placing a hand on the receiver to avoid any unplanned…picking up. “I snatched it from the intelligence ship when I put fire to it.”

“That was you?!” Laughed Ace.

“You set a Marine ship on fire?!” Exclaimed Luffy with stars in his eyes.

Davy Jones, his brothers were loud. And he loved them so much despite it all.

“Yes. But I can’t take this. If they learn the Revolutionaries stole their intelligence, they’ll raise security and we might get even harder retrieval missions. I love going undercover, but it can become boring mopping floors to keep inconspicuous.”

“That does sound boring,” huffed Luffy, crossing his arms as their small ship rushes toward the mayor’s office, Nami, Luffy’s navigator, at the helm.

“So then. You’re not picking up?” Pushed Ace, eyes focused on the snail.

“Not right now, it might be too dangerous. And, well, I heard that there are traces of the CP9 around here so I prefer to be careful about showing my position.” The part about him still being wounded from the face-to-face with Blackbeard and his crew stayed silent. The bandages around his throat that had been changed by Chopper, the small doctor, spoke for themselves. He was far from being at his best.

At last, the snail quieted down and was put back into the inner pocket of his coat.

  
“CP9? Who’s that?” Asked Luffy again, a note of worry in his voice that reassured his siblings. A wary Luffy will think, even if just for a bit, before rushing head first.

“Government's assassins. They have been hunting Revolutionaries for a while and we’ve lost five to them so far.”

The body behind him warmed up slightly, the same time Luffy  pressed harder into his side.

“Well, they’ll have to go through me if they want to get you.” Ace said, anger in his tone.

“And me!” Added Luffy with a hard glare.

When had they become so dependable? The wave of pride almost swallowed the one of dread. If they placed themselves into CP9’s line of fire, they could die. Luffy was his little brother, and even if he was stronger, he was young and naive still. And Ace was still bruised up and wounded from the fight that he had lost a few days prior. To be entirely honest, so was he.

His ribs still ached when he breathed too deeply and his lower back was pulsing every time he walked for too long. Him and Ace had bandaged and stitched each other up before rushing back to sea, eager to see Luffy. Now facing the current situation, he could see how big of a mistake that was. In his state, Haki user or not, he would barely manage to hold one of the agents for a few minutes. A few more if they were going for Ace or Luffy’s head...

“Neither of you will do that.” Before they can try to defend themselves, he kept going. “Because I don’t plan on even being noticed by them. I’m not in any state to fight them, even with you two at my back. So you can both calm down.”

They didn’t, but he didn’t expect much anyway.

The realization that their small boat stopped came when voices started raising around them. The Marine snail stayed blissfully silent. Well, at least that was one less thing to worry about for now, even if he knew that something else was brewing. Three people appeared within the reach of Sabo’s Haki, walking up on the bridge slightly above them, a few feet away. One strong and mechanical, the two others weaker and surprisingly square shaped. Huh. That was a new one.

“We have company,” he simply pointed out.

“Well, yeah! There is a crowd!” Exclaimed Nami with desperation,  obviously  unsure of what to do next as the huge door stands closed in front of them.

“That’s not really what I meant.”

Music started before he even finished his sentence and eyes moved to the bridge where the three silhouettes stood. Two squares framing a man from what he could see, forearms bigger than any bodybuilder he had met. And Sabo had met some  _ very  _ weirdly shaped humans in his life.

But Luffy tensed up and lets him go. Anger radiating from his whole being as he faces the suddenly uncovered man and his two…sisters? Groupies? Partners in crime? Whoever they are, they all knew each other.

“I’m Straw Hat Luffy.” His brother says. And, hearing those words, in  _ that _ tone, something clicks in Sabo’s mind.

Luffy’s a captain. 

There’s no doubt about it.

~~~

Well, Ace hadn’t planned on getting into a fight this quickly after setting foot on Water 7, but here he was now, held up by Sabo, still dripping from his unplanned trip into the canals which the blonde had saved him from.

The Galley-La company stood at one side of the wreckage, the cyborg at another and finally, Luffy’s Navigator and the three brothers off to the side. The atmosphere was heavy with unshed tension. It was a standoff, despite Luffy looking baffled by the new faces.

But not as much as Sabo. Sabo, who was shaking from the cold water still clinging to his clothes. Sabo, who hadn’t looked up at the scene since the carpenters had stepped in and began a who-will-shoot-first situation with the rest of the groups. Sabo, who had suddenly gone from being bright and alive to cowering behind the brim of his hat.

“Hey. You ok?” Ace asked, barely a whisper, using their closeness to be as inconspicuous as possible.

“CP9.” Whispered his brother back through clenched teeth. “At least the one with the pigeon is.”

Ace looked back up at the Galley-La group, taking in everything he could from size to observation. Who was the eyes, who the muscles, who the speed and who the brain. If Sabo’s stress was anything to worry about, they could all be CP9 playing coy.

The fight was still going on, the cyborg offended at the shipwrights’  hindrance of his fight. It took Ace everything not to jump in when a rope closed around Luffy’s neck. From the hand digging into his side, he wasn’t the only brother restraining himself from stepping in.

Then came the shots that required him to pull his brother back from the fight instead of the opposite. Luffy had been rubber since before they had met him, but ten years apart from Sabo probably made him forget at least a bit how resilient the young teen could actually be.

“What do we do?” He whispered, warming his body just a little but so his brother would stop shivering against him.

Sabo turned, a thousand questions in his eyes, apparently unsure of what the question meant.

“About the CP9 guy?” He specified, still staring at the fight, teeth clenching at the sight of his younger brother getting beaten up and visibly not attacking back.

“We don’t… If we step in we become targets. If they spot me, they might become violent.”

It seemed to physically hurt Sabo to say that.

Luffy crashed into yet another pile of debris, Nami screaming for him in panic.

“They look pretty violent to me.” Ace hissed, tightening his grip and reigning down the flames just begging to rage. Begging to propulse him to the fight and burn the ones hurting his brother.

Sabo suddenly looked up, visibly shaken at the mention of a name, becoming even more shaken as Luffy fiercely defended that Robin they were talking about. The only downside that came from such a gleeful smile from the blond was the long-nosed man’s eyes suddenly latching to them both, widening in realisation.

“We’ve been found out,” Ace hissed, letting go of his brother and lowering his stance, already heating up, even if just as a last resort. His neck pulsed with pain as it ached from the hit Teach had gotten on him.

But Sabo left. Sabo fucking left, winking before running to the side, in the direction of Luffy’s navigator that had just been grabbed by civilians. He kicked them off in a way that seemed accidental before disappearing in an alley…followed by the long-nosed agent. Shit.

“I’ll kill him,” growled Ace, following until he was beside Nami and could grab her around the waist, hiding her from the sudden burst of energy breaking through the clearing.

“Luffy!” Screamed the redhead, fighting to get out of his grip. “Luffy!”

“Nami!” And oh if that voice didn’t relax Ace’s shoulder. “We have to run! Where is Sabo?!”

“He went ahead. Don’t worry about him.” Ace quickly explained, already planning a thousand ways to snap at his brother the moment he’d see him again. Running away? While an assassin he had explicitly said he was in no shape to fight at his heels? Yeah, he was going to get handcuffed to Luffy for that. For a whole fucking week too. The teen wouldn’t object.

Lost in thoughts, he didn’t notice the rubber arm twisting around him before he was already being shot in the air, Nami’s scream in his ear as she clung to him for dear life. His broken eardrums wouldn’t hate her for it. He understood the feeling.

And he screamed just as loudly anyway.

~~~

“So. The Revolutionaries are here, I see,” smirked the agent, dusting his shoulder before looking up at the prone form in front of him. “I expected more from the Chief of Staff himself, not gonna lie.”

“You caught me at a bad time,” humored Sabo, trying and failing to hide his flinch as he sat up, blood filling his mouth from the bad kick he had previously received. “It won’t last.”

“I don’t plan on it,” pointed out the man, kicking at a wall so a decent chunk of wood fell into his hand. A  _ pointy _ chunk. A pointy chunk that was immediately thrown into Sabo’s side, forcing a pained scream out of Sabo’s lungs. “But you would be a very nice gift to the men upstairs. Who wouldn’t like a Revolutionary ripe for torture sent on a silver platter?”

“I wouldn’t.” His teeth were red from blood, he knew. Iron was a taste he knew well after years on his job. Humor a weapon increasingly hard to keep in hand as pain filled the whole right side of his body. At least it echoed the left. “But I also won’t be served to anyone if I can help it.”

The other man laughed and walked closer, making a show of jolting the piece of wood and clearly enjoying the howl of pain that follows. “Well, let’s see what I have to say about it first, shall we?”

“We shall.”

The ground, paved, was hard on his haki-covered fingers, the lack of energy making the usually easy attack so much more straining on his body. But the ground cracked and opened. And that was a big enough opening for Sabo to kick the CP9 agent in the chin, to rip the wood out of him to clock the other man on the nose, and to make a hasty run for it.

Everything hurt ten times worse. Air didn’t seem to fully fill his lungs and he knew that his blood was painting the stones of the street, making him easy to follow. But, he couldn’t die here. Koala wouldn’t ever forgive him for it and neither would Dragon. Luffy would cry and so would Ace, even if he’d be the first to deny it. So Sabo didn’t fall,  didn't let his steps falter or his speed decrease. The pain coming from his back made the hole in his side pale in comparison, spine probably more than bruised now from where the CP9 agent kicked him into a stone wall. He passed the rare civilians still closing up houses and shops for the incoming high tides, ignoring their horrified gasps at the sight of his gaping wound. He  couldn't get caught. Not now. Not-

He tripped, sprawling on the pavements, vision turning black for a second as white hot pain seemed to swallow him whole. A familiar blond man with a twirling eyebrow jumped out of the water. What was his name again? Was he the cook or the sharpshooter? Black crawled at the edge of his vision again as another name was yelled out in panic. Droplets of water fell on his skin as his brother’s crewmate  rushed closer.

_ Please. _

_ Don’t let them fall in the middle of this. _

**TBC**


	7. So it was You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy nods.
> 
> Ace nods.
> 
> And they each go their own way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ==B L O O D W A R N I N G F O R T H E I L L U S T R A T I O N==
> 
> Would you believe me if I said I completely forgot that I updated on Fridays?
> 
> WELL I SURE DID!  
> Luckily, I finished the correction and the illustration before monday so I just needed a light checkup before sending it into the wild!
> 
> Thanks again to Theprodigypenguin for helping me with the story a lot and to SoccerSarah01 who almost needs to be listed as co-author for how many scenes she saved from Chap 6 and 7... Can't wait for 8!
> 
> And, yes, we only got one more chapter and the epilogue to go! It feels so WEIRD!!!  
> But here we are and here we go, enjoy chap 7, it's a bumpy ride!

Luffy was going to kick the asses of everyone that was ever a part of CP9.

Kick their ass and do it a thousand times more.

Because when he came back from meeting the mayor, came back from learning that Robin had indeed shot the nice man that he called an ally, it was to Ace screaming at an unconscious Sabo to wake up. There was enough desperation, enough  _ pain _ , in his voice that it made Luffy remember the exact last time that name had been screamed out with that much pain. Chopper had already stitched him up and bandaged everything he could with the rest of their supply.

Now his dark-haired older brother held Sabo’s head on his lap, running a hand through his blond locks and whispering for him to wake up, mixing the requests with threats if he was to leave them waiting for longer. Luffy himself was close by, a hand squeezing the limp, scarred one, a finger on his pulse to reassure himself enough to stay grounded. To stay strong. Not to crumble again.

“So we need to choose. Friend or foe,” said Zoro, always the dependable right hand man he always was. The other rock he needed.

He didn’t want to believe it. That Robin was lying the whole time. That she wasn’t part of his crew, his family. No. If she wanted him to believe it, she would have to tell him herself. There was no way around it. He was her captain and she was  _ his _ . So they made their plan in response. Get to Iceburg’s room before Robin could do something she’d regret, and get her back to them.

“I’ll stay with Sabo until he wakes up,” reassured Ace, eyes hard. “Don’t get into too much trouble before we join you.”

“Don’t let them hurt him again.”

Ace laughs and so does Luffy, all strained and too sharp over Sabo’s prone form. “Tell them good luck instead. I can kick your ass. They’ll need to be ready when they get into range.”

Luffy nods.

Ace nods.

And they each go their own way.

~~~

Ace was already having a hard time not letting himself light on fire when Sabo finally opens his eyes again, looking up from his spot leaning against Ace’s torso. Nami had forced him into a shirt to at least be a bit more subtle about who he was with the heightened security of the streets.

“Ace?” Croaked Sabo, blinking away the sleep still clinging to his eyelashes.

“Hey, Bo. Care to tell me why you dashed away alone and then we found you with a huge hole in your side?” His tone wasn’t kind. It was It’s raw and painful.

“Sorry,” mumbled his brother, melting  slightly  into Ace’s warmth as wind howls in the alley. “Luffy?”

“Off to do no good. Also extremely pissed about a squarish-nosed man that apparently put a hole into his favorite brother. It’s all your fault if he goes up kicking ass like an idiot, now,” huffed Ace, wrapping his arms around Sabo to warm him quicker, trying and failing to ignore the fear still clutching his heart at the sight of a limp, bloody body being carried to the roof. “You lost a lot of blood, asshole.”

At least the Revolutionary had the decency to look guilty.

“Ace, I’m sorry.”

“Shut it. You’re  _ alive _ . That’s all that fucking matters.”

They didn’t move for a minute, Ace to reassure himself, Sabo to get back his bearings. CP9 was still around, neither him nor Ace are in any shape to fight, and Luffy’s out and about, probably making terrible life decisions.

But they  _ had  _ to move.

“Your Den Den called,” Ace finally decided to point out. “Not the Marine one. Koala didn’t sound so thrilled when she learned the state you were in.”

Sabo jolted, stopped by arms closing up around him that thankfully stopped his stitches from tearing. “You  _ told _ her-”

“She’s your  _ friend _ , Bo. I wasn’t going to lie about it! Anyway, she was already on her way to you beforehand. As soon as she gets there, I’ll go lend a hand to Lu.”

“Wha-” Oh, how the outrage sounded beautiful after the scare Sabo had just given him. Revenge tastes so good these days. “You can’t! You’ll get-”

“Killed? Like you almost were?” That shut him long enough for Ace to continue. “I am extremely pissed off, impervious to bullets and most bulgening damage, and pissed off.”

“You said pissed off twice,” Sabo mumbles.

“Because I am. Very. Also, I used your Den Den to call Pops.”

There was a silence. A look of pure surprise and confusion crossed Sabo’s face.

“Whitebeard.” Ace clarifies.

“Oh! I was wondering how the hell- no. Why the hell would you even call  _ him  _ anything else than ‘asshole’ or ‘dumbass’?!”

“Ewwww. Don’t talk about  _ him _ . I’m talking about my  _ actual  _ dad, the only one I have.”

“Gotcha,” said Sabo with a smile, visibly relieved...and is that pride in his eyes? “What did you talk about?”

“Teach’s death. You,” Ace sighs, leaning his chin on blond curls. “They asked a lot about you since apparently I never shut up about Luffy. Wondered if we had a fight or something. Just told them that something big happened and we lost contact for a long time. Anyway, they’re on their way too.”

“Seriously?” Asked Sabo, awe in his voice. “You got yourself a really nice family.”

The chuckle shook them both. “Yeah. They’re pretty neat, I’m glad I found them.”

“I’m glad they found you.” Cold fingers touched Ace’s arm, prompting him to squeeze his brother even closer.

They sat in silence for a moment, holding tight to each other, Ace still keeping his body temperature higher than usual as he  attempted to soothe both Sabo’s trembling and his own. It had come so close. When Luffy’s crewmates had appeared with his brother’s bloodied form as he was searching the streets in vain, his blood had turned colder than any time seastone had touched his skin. The body of his brother had almost teleported into his arms from how fast he snatched him from the Strawhats’ grip. Cold. He had been so cold that the blood seeping from the hastily made bandages felt boiling hot.

He had to be blackmailed to get to the roof, chanting his brother's name as he clutched him close, attempting to warm him in vain. Forced to put him down, ripping his torn shirt and vest off of him so the Reindeer could stitch him back up.

_ Blood everywhere. _

_ Seeping away on the rooftop. _

_ Leaving in rivers of red that shouldn’t be. _

_ No. _

_ Don’t. _

_ Sabo! _

_ Open your eyes! _

_ SABO! _

“I’m really glad you’re alive, Ace,” whispered the man in question. Warmer. Awake.  _ Alive. _

“You were the one bleeding out-” Ace managed to choke out before his brother can cut in again.

“No. I mean it. If I hadn’t found my memories again and you or Luffy had died I would’ve-”

_ Blood on his hands. _

_ Blood on his shirt. _

_ Blood on the ground. _

_ Cold. Cold. Cold. _

“Bo,” Ace suddenly snapped, holding his brother tight, the memories of Sabo’s previous state and the fear of seeing Luffy in a similar one making the ball of ice into his stomach grow. “We’re all ok. Don’t do that to yourself…I know what it feels like. So don’t.”

“I don’t know what I would’ve done, Ace,” Sabo whispers, terror threading through his voice as gloved fingers tightened around his wrists.

_ Warm. _

_ Awake. _

_ Alive. _

“You would’ve cried. For a long time. But you also would’ve  _ lived _ . Because one of us has to see Luffy to the end of his dream,” Ace sighed, closing his eyes to hide his face in blond locks.

“Why would you have been the one dying?!” Comes the offended exclamation.

“You seriously think I would have let anyone get a go at our little brother?”

“No, you’re right.”

Footsteps approached their alley, something neither had heard for a while with the current status of the city. All civilians were already hiding uphill and every single house was sealed shut, ready for the Agua Luna’s wave to crash in and flood over the streets. But while Ace tensed up, folding over his brother protectively, Sabo smiled.

“I know these footsteps. Don’t worry,” he croaked.

It was a redhead woman that appeared at the end of the alley, eyes wide and focused, immediately fixed on Sabo’s limp state and the bloody bandages over his stomach.

_ “Sabo!” _ She hissed, running to the duo, ignoring Ace’s fiery glare. “Are you ok?”

“Been better. Hi to you too, by the way,” humored the blond, getting a smack on his forehead from it. The hit did nothing to wipe the smirk from his lips, of course.

“Don’t even joke about that! Your brother sounded hysterical on the Den Den! We were worried!” The woman whisper-yelled as she checked his many bandages and bruises.

That made Sabo look up at Ace, surprised. “You were hysterical?”

_ “Shut up,” _ he snaps back with more bite than planned.

“No, but really?  _ Why _ ?” His brother pushed.

And Ace’s carefully built wall crumbled.

“I was fucking hysterical because my brother was _fucking dying_ in my arms you _asshole_. You were getting colder by the minute and Nami, the _only one_ with your blood type that wasn’t a _reindeer_ , wasn’t showing up and-” There was a sound between a snort and a sob that left his chest, tears filling his eyes without warning and he wiped them away angrily before they could fall. “So yeah. I was a bit scared that you wouldn’t make it, _dumbass_.”

Sabo stopped him, because he had to. A hand suddenly pressed over his mouth to stop Ace’s hysterics, because Ace wasn’t going to be able to stop himself. Because there was so much grief that he had to live once again, so much pain he had to feel again, that it takes the cold, scarred,  _ familiar _ hand pressing into his skin to remind him that it was in the past. That it was better now. That it was safe now.

“Stop that. I’m ok,” soothed the blond, ignoring his worried friend to focus on Ace. “I’m ok.”

And Ace nodded. Nods and let himself warm up again with his devil fruit so his brother can stop trembling so much. He might have been the one trembling. The redhead girl started rechecking his injuries and started cursing.

“Sabo you  _ complete and utter idiot!  _ How did  _ one _ CP9 agent beat you up like that?!”

“Um… I kind of fought a bit before Water 7?”

“Blackbeard got you like  _ this?!” _ And  _ oh, _ her tone warmed Ace’s heart. Because it was filled with deep seethed rage and protectiveness. One he shared just  _ thinking  _ about Thatch murderer as well as the long-nose man that had gotten Sabo into this state. “If you hadn’t already killed him-”

“Koala. I need you to go protect Luffy,” Sabo coughs out, worry creasing his forehead. “Ace and I are in no state to fight and he’s against CP9.”

“I already know that, dummy,” she huffed, rolling her eyes. But her expression soon turned into a soft smile as she bent down to kiss Sabo’s forehead. “Hack and I’ll keep your brother safe. Don’t die on us, Chief.”

When she finally rushed away, leaving one man as a lookout at the end of the alley, Ace couldn’t help himself. He looked down at Sabo and wiggled his eyebrows, prompting his brother to fall into splutters.

“She- I- We’re not- She’s my _ partner!” _

Standing back up, cradling his brother  _ \- warm, awake, alive - _ in his arms and laughing up a storm, Ace started making his way out of the narrow space. “Oh, I am  _ never _ letting you off of this one!”

The revolutionaries escorted them both to the upper levels of the city, the gigantic waves apparently getting closer. The dark cloaks that were put on their shoulders for the sake of subtlety were at least waterproof. If the clouds were any sort of warning, they should have soon broken into a rainshower. And Ace was not looking forward to it.

An explosion shakes the pavement, but the men and the woman leading the way didn’t falter. If anything, they picked up the pace. Slaloming through streets and over bridges to get higher and higher into the city. If Ace didn’t trust the city’s respect for ships, he might have been worried for the Striker. But his brother, currently in his arms, was more important. Way more important.

“In here” finally said one of the cloaked men, opening a door that had been previously hidden between rocks. “Quickly.”

He waited until the door closes and for the revolutionaries to take off their own cloaks before he asked. “Is it safe here?”

“Yes. This safe house will hold the storm. We’re high enough and our Fishman Karate Expert knows its location. Do you not trust us?” Asked the woman, shaking her hair free from her hood and adjusting her tight ponytail.

A smirk climbed into Ace’s face as he lowered Sabo into the small bed at the end of the room, careful not to jolt his wound. “I do. Just watch him for me, alright?”

The blond didn’t havethe time nor the energy to grab him quickly enough, his haki covered hand clasping over the space Ace had previously occupied. He looked offended for a second before his numb brain caught up.

_ “Ace don’t you fucking dare!” _

“See ya!”

He was out the door and into the storm before anyone could say his name again.

~~~

Luffy had had enough of these CP9 bastards.

He had listened - he did that...sometimes - when Ace told him not to mention his relation to Sabo to the agents. So he kept biting his tongue and grinding his teeth so the words would stay in, so he didn’t scream for vengeance, especially when he spotted the square-nose one. The Strawhats had a way of doing things; Luffy took on the boss and the rest of the crew grabbed the ones at their level so they could all have their solo moment of kicking ass without being overwhelmed. But  _ oh _ did he want to grab that one and  _ throw him through a wall. _

But for now he was stuck,  _ again _ , between two very annoying buildings, incapable of moving even an inch as his wet rubbery skin almost seemed to adhere to the worn walls squeezing him. For some reason the ocean had ran away, and Robin was still missing and- and last he saw Sabo, his brother was still unconscious and wounded. Ace’s voice rough and raw from how much he had begged their brother to wake up, even after Chopper had called him safe-

A voice broke him out of his thoughts.

Nami.

Screaming something at him.

Something absolutely  _ amazing _ .

Robin was never  _ against _ them. And now, they needed to  _ save _ her.

Thoughts filled his mind once again as he broke free, as he met again with Zoro and Chopper. Dark red still clung near his hoofs from what he had previously done. They needed to escape so he did, making sure every crewmate followed, begging the rain to take the memories away.

By the time they were planning their next step, Luffy was almost shaking, his body aching for a fight to both avenge his brother and get back his arleo-li-gick or whatever that was that Robin liked doing. She would come back with them, he knew that already, and he would come back to his brothers, both alive, and hug them for a whole week.

The train was a surprise, mostly from the stowaways that included his own brother. A brother that was quickly grabbed by the collar.

“Ace! You were supposed to be with Sabo!” Luffy snapped, worried. “Did something happen? Did the bastards get him too?!” The mere thought made his blood boil. Sabo was in no shape to even walk by himself, what if-

As if he could hear Luffy’s thought, Ace cut in. “Sabo’s with his Revolutionary friend. He’s gonna be fine. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not happy about this, Ace! He was knocked out and you left him alone!” Luffy growled back, upset by the change of plans. “You’re trying to hide that you’re hurt too! You should have stayed back! I’m strong now!”

“I told you he’s with his friends,” his older brother shoothed, ruffling his hair. “Now stop worrying, we have to get your crewmate back and kick the assholes’ asses.”

Now that. That he could easily get behind.

~~~

Luffy left.

Ace had expected this. There was no way the rubber  _ idiot  _ would stay still for a second longer. Still, a terrible fear almost made him reach up and pull the teenager into his arms. Stop him from repeating Sabo’s stunt.

Instead, he clenched his teeth and begged the sky and sea to keep him safe from harm...ok...from serious harm at least.

His crew would find him, that Ace knew.

From their worried and protective glances at their retreating captain, he was reminded of his first meeting with the group.

Yeah.

He was in good hands.

But this was  _ World Government. _

And Sabo had been very clear about not making an enemy of them so soon after sailing off to sea. So obviously that was bound to be Luffy’s first goal as the train crashed into a giant’s back.

Well, he had seen weirder just with the Spades while he was a captain himself.

The CP9 probably was in the farthest building and so that’s where he would go.

“Well!” He exclaimed to Luffy’s crew, getting up on a piece of broken wall. “Looks like I’m leaving you here.”

“What? Why?!” Exclaimed Nami, clutching her staff close as battle raged around

“Because I’ve got some unfinished business with a very rude government agent. You’re all strong, you’ll be fine!”

Without waiting for her answer, Ace quickly turned into a fireball, shooting to the top of a building and rushing past as many men as he could. Not that it was hard - they didn’t seem very strong - but their self-preservation instinct was still good enough to avoid his fiery path. Some were not so lucky, but they probably deserved it.

It was by one of his latest stops that he spotted a woman with a very familiar red newsboy cap. His feet became solid again as he touched down by her side, tipping his own hat with a smirk and his usual finger-on-fire gesture.

“Hi there,” he greeted smoothly.

“Ace?!” Came the - actually pretty rude sounding - answer from Koala. The flying punch was a surprise and  _ thank the seas _ he avoided it. He was pretty certain she had put Haki into it from the wall that cracked some way behind him. “What the hell are you doing here? Sabo’s going to be so mad!”

“Hey, it’s ok, he’s with three of your guys!” Ace tried to offer as a peace offering while the battle raged closer and closer.

“Three of our guys definitely aren’t strong enough if he decides to jump out of bed and rush here out of worry for you, idiot! Did your brain also turn into flames?!”

Well, ok, that one strung a bit. “Well he’s in no shape to-”

_ “Would that stop you?” _ The redhead snapped back. A very valid accusation that cut his retort off. “That’s what I thought! I better not receive a call telling me my Chief of Staff is up and running with a two inches wide hole at his side because you decided to ditch him!” Ace opened his mouth- which was useless, apparently, because she obviously wasn’t done. “Well you seem to move fast. I need you to help me out. Bring me by the side so we can sneak in.”

“Sneak in? I want to set on fire the one that thought that piercing my brother was a good idea! That doesn’t count as subtle!”

“Because you’re not going to do that,” she huffed. “Not before helping me into the archives before you and your younger brother collapse and or burn the entire building.”   
  
“Why would I-”

“You can bet I can beat your ass right now. You come with me or you go back to Water 7.”

He didn’t add to this. Koala had another very good point. Though, having seen the pure rage on Luffy’s face at the news of Nico Robin sacrificing herself and Sabo’s state, they would be lucky if the whole island didn’t fall down the endless pit. With both of them? For Sabo’s sake? They would probably manage that stunt easily.

“If I get you into the archives-”

“Stealthily,” she added as if she was issuing a challenge.

“Stealthily,” he corrected. “Will I be free to kick ass?”

“Oh sure.” Koala smirks and by Davy Jones he hoped Sabo and her weren’t actually an item because the world would fall way too quickly to their feet by punches and genius plans. “I will even call to tell Sabo I reigned you in so he can sit still if you do.”

Ace was a brother.

But he was also a pirate that was raised by mountain bandits and knew a good deal when he saw one.

He grabbed her hand to shake it, smirk on his lips mirroring hers. He changed his mind. Sabo better not end up with anyone else. 

They were halfway there when Luffy started screaming at the entirety of CP9.

If he wasn’t so damn proud of his little brother ordering his sniper to shoot the government flag, Ace would have been worried sick about the implications.

“Eyes up front,” chastised Koala from her spot on his back, arms holding tight around his neck.

“If I drop you, Sabo will probably kick me down there too. Relax a bit.”

The added weight wasn’t helping his trajectory. The gap was quite large after all. But Luffy was even louder. It was no surprise no one gave any attention to what could have simply been a bird making its way to the other side of the gap. Nothing as alarming as a row of pirates taunting the World Government in one single move.

“You three brothers are completely crazy,” grumbled Koala just loud enough for him to hear.

He smirks, incredibly proud. “That we definitely are!”

“Well, meeting you two does explain a lot of crazy stunts he pulled,” she huffed, twisting slightly to make sure no one had noticed their stunt yet.

But what could Ace say? The prospect of having his previously lost brother’s embarrassing stories was quite the nice thought, “You have to tell them to me at one point!”

“Less talking, more getting us across.”

“Yes ma’am!”

Ace dropped her gently at a windowsill on the side of the structure, careful to keep them away from the agents or Marines’ view. His eyes roamed the scene as his brother roared to his crewmate in one of the coolest set-ups ever made. The teen standing alongside his crew, strong, proud, and probably annoying the hell out of the agents. The window clicked open and they were soon standing in one of the comfortable rooms of the building.

“Happy now?” He asks, not hiding how impressed he was at her lockpicking skills.

“Happier if you stop trying to blow our covers with your talking, Firefist!” She hissed back, a finger to her lips.

Ace pouted at the clear order, but complied without a fuss as they made their way toward the door and into the corridors. His limp was easy to hide and he was grateful for Koala as she gave him a pointed look yet didn’t call him out nor stop him.

Now, Ace had always prided himself on the mark tattooed on his back, rarely covering it, but there were exceptions. One such exception brought him a sense of deja vu as Koala threw him a newly unconscious Marine that had spotted them yet not reached his Den Den in time. That woman was a  _ menace _ . 

“What are you doing? It’s no time for dress-up!” She hissed, outraged as Ace slipped the Marine shirt on and covered his hair with the white and blue cap. “From the noise coming from up here, your brother is causing quite a ruckus and we are on a timed schedule! Cover ups are nice but for this-”

“Trust me,” Ace said with an easy smile. “I got part-raised by a Marine Vice-Admiral.”

“You what?!”

But he was already out into the corridor, facing a group of Marines rushing upstairs, one of them, obviously the leader, stopping to face the newcomer.

“You! What are you still doing here? We’re fighting upstairs!”

The salute came easily. “Sorry, Sir! I serve as Miss Larry’s bodyguard as she complies to the protocol Int-06 with the level 5 breach, sir!”

“Miss Larry?”

Koala slipped out of the room where she had been hiding with a book clutched to her chest. Quick learner. Good.

“She herself, sir! Did the protocols change, sir?”

The Marine looked thoroughly confused, as if he didn’t know where to put himself. Ace had to bite the inside of his cheek so he wouldn’t laugh at his face.

“N-No. Carry on, officer.”

The group of Marines disappeared with the rythmic sound of their footfalls, leaving the duo alone in the endless corridor. After a few beats, Koala’s stare couldn’t be ignored anymore.

“What was that?!” The redhead asked, falling into step with him as they moved toward the archives.

“Raised by a Marine, told you so,” he answered with a wink, keeping his stride confident.

“No, no. I mean. I’m a Revolutionary.” She tries to explain, obviously still shocked. “I learned almost every existing Marine protocoles and I don’t know any Int-06.”

This time, Ace did laugh. “Funny story, actually. Turns out very little low grades Marines know the rules and protocols by the book, so Gramps made a whole bunch of them just to confuse the new recruits. To be honest, I’m pretty sure that his unit is the most knowledgeable about rules and how to break them. He doesn’t pull his punches when it comes to messing with everyone he can, especially the Fleet Admiral. Oh, here we are.”

“You are all terrible and I am very, very proud of having roped you into helping me out.” Koala whispered as she stepped into the room.

“Hey, you’re my dumb brother’s best friend. I’m not going to leave you hanging when I know my little brother has a crewmate to get back.”

She smiled as they closed the door behind them and…yeah…this is gonna take some time.

~~~

“Everyone. If you get to the one with the long nose,” said Luffy as they rush up the stairs, voice in its usual ‘I am very serious so you listen now’ voice. “You are free to break his bones.”

it wasn’t not every day you hear the ‘captain’s voice’. And Luffy was mostly a ‘knock people out’ kind of guy. So the request was a surprise...mostly.

But, well, they were the Strawhats, weren’t they?

Whoever got him first was free to go all out.

Who wouldn’t want that?

~~~

_ A few minutes later, Zoro enters a room and sees a man. _

_ He smiles. _

~~~

“Chief! You are not allowed to get out of bed! Your  _ wounds- _ ”

“I don’t care about my wounds!” Growled Sabo as he pushed through the door, Daphne, Greg, and Robert, the poor revolutionaries stuck with him, weakly trying to keep him in by clutching his dark coat already back on his shoulders. “My brothers are in danger and the dumbest of them both chose to join the fight while severely injured! I am not sitting still waiting to be saved or for the battle to end! I am going!”

“Koala will beat every one of us up from it please just sit down, I beg of you!” Pleaded Daphne.

Sabo didn’t comply. Not when the pain at his side reminded him about the dangers his most prized people were currently walking into. The beating of his heart was loud in his ears as the heels of his boots clacked on the wet pavements. There was a storm and he’d get through a thousand times worse if only to see Ace and Luffy safe and sound.

Apparently understanding their uselessness at keeping their superior in bed rest, the trio decided to grab their own coats and follow Sabo outside, keeping close like shadows. “This is a bad idea, Chief…how do we even go to Enies Lobby?” asks Greg.

“I don’t know, but we’re going,” Sabo snapped, eyes already scanning around to find where they could possibly find a vessel to get there as fast as possible. He was no pirate, but despite it all, he had the soul of one. No one would miss one lonely boat during the Agua Lunia, would they?

“Chief! Look!”

Well, that is surprising.

A man was pushing a beaten-up boat away from the coast. Heaving from the strain of the push yet with a certainty about it.

Yet the most important piece of the scene was plain as day.

This was no random ship.

It was Luffy’s.

“Well, I daresay we have our ship.”

The whimpers the other rest of the group let out were lost in the storm.

  
  


**TBC**


	8. Don’t Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A voice rose from everywhere at once, a broadcast over the whole island.
> 
> A buster call. They triggered a goddamn buster call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO!
> 
> This chapter was supposed to be a bit under 5k...It was missing many scenes and rewrites...It ended up 6.5k...  
> I realized on Friday I didn't send it for Beta and didn't even start the illustration....
> 
> SO YEAH!
> 
> Here is the last chapter before the epilogue!  
> AS ALWAYS! HUGE thanks to both Theprodigypenguin for the help on the story and SoccerSarah01 for the INCREDIBLE BETA
> 
> Now, see you soon for the epilogue!

Koala was an efficient woman, Ace could give her that. They hadn’t been in the library for more than ten minutes when she grabbed a suitcase, emptied it while quickly scanning its content, then jammed specific papers and files into it, closing it with a strong, final slam.

“I’m good, you can deal with the rest?” She asked, dusting her pants and grabbing the suitcase.

“Don’t worry about me, I’m just going to beat someone up for a bit. What about you? Do you have a way out?”

“I’ll find something. Now go before I stop being able to plead plausible deniability.”

“Isn’t that too late already?” He scratches his head. The Marine uniform was way too itchy for his taste.

“Oh shut up and go, you firebrain!” She smiles, pushing him out. “You’ll blow my cover!”

A small wave of the hand and she had disappeared to a new corridor. Ace didn’t find any reason to lose more time, he knew she’d get out, no matter what happened. If her earlier punch meant anything, she probably was even more capable than him of this cursed place. Which meant…well…now he can find a special someone to let out his growing fury that appeared in short bursts of flames. But first, he needed to get out of the lower levels, which meant finding stairs.

They weren’t hidden, so it was quite easy to find one set and climb…

To…

Well…

A very weird puppet? Oh. No. That was one of Luffy’s crewmates, wasn’t it? With a weird shine to his skin, clothes and hair. His shirt had been bloody earlier, hadn’t it? So had been his hands and-

“Sanji?” Ace tried, quite confused. “You ok there?”

The weird puppet’s head rose up to meet his eyes. Let’s just say that seeing someone’s face having none of its 3D quality was quite the sight.

“Ace. Weren’t you with Luffy’s other brother?” He asked, defeated beyond words.

“Well-”

A voice rose from everywhere at once, a broadcast over the whole island.

A buster call. They triggered a  _ goddamn buster call. _

Ace hadn’t lived through any of those, but there were many stories for a crew like Whitebeard’s. And no one had wasted any time telling those to the newest member as soon as his tattoo was done. A complete annihilation of life and land that left only a gaping hole of the place that previously stood. The latest that they had known about had been more or less twenty years ago - done to an island shunned for its knowledge (at least, if he didn’t remember wrong). Sabo probably knew about it. He would have...no...he was probably mad about books burning no matter how boring some were. Well, the name of the place was escaping his memories, but he knew of it. Of the carnage. Of the absence of survivors.

And now his brother and his crew were on this doomed island and probably would refuse to leave unless they got Nico Robin back. That just meant he had to help, and quickly.

“You guys all have to leave.” He growled, an echo of the woman’s desperate yells before the line had cut. She had been worried about every single life on this island. No wonder Luffy had pulled her inside his little family of a crew. He had done the same with Sabo as soon as he had met him and seen the kindness he held. “This whole place is going to blow up.”

“I know.” The soapy - because this was soap without the shadow of a doubt - man chuckled. “But we are not leaving without Robin.”

“Oh I didn’t really expect you to. Just get out in time so my little bro don’t lose you guys, ok?” Ace snorted, straightening up again.

“Sure,” mumbled the blond.

Ace put his hands on his hips, looking up at the tower and stairs. This place wasn’t terrifyingly huge, but that didn’t mean he wanted to search it in its entirety to find one single asshole. “Any idea where the long-nosed asshole is?”   


“U-Usopp?” The tone was more confused than anything.

“No, no. The other that sucks even more. Squarish.” He specified, mimicking the angular nose the best he could.

“Oh! Kaku? Probably higher levels. Luffy let whoever found him go all out.”

“Kaku, uh?” With a last glance at the frankly miserable-looking man, Ace’s feet turned to flames. “Well, best of luck to you.”

“To you too. Luffy wouldn’t survive you dying on us so you better stay alive.”

“Noted!” Ace chuckled, quickly leaving the ground and shooting up, flames at his heels.

He wasn’t not hard to find. Ace would have laughed at his appearance if it wasn’t for the hot rage seeping into his bones and blood at the face of the man. Well, a changed face apparently. Or the Devil Fruit was new. With the Marines no one was ever really sure after all. Zoro, Luffy’s swordsman, was doing a weird stance, using the sniper, Usopp, as a sword hilt. The latter deserved praise, staying as straight as he was required quite a lot of core strength.

“Sorry, Zoro, Usopp, but this one is mine.”

The tone was light but the bluff didn’t work, his anger given away by the raging fury of his flames flickering around his shoulder.

“It’s my fight,” groaned the swordsman, still taking a step back.

“I did apologize,” smirked Ace before changing his stance. “Now. I hope you’ll give me a proper fight, giraffe. Because I have a lot to say to you.”

“Weren’t you the one the Revolutionary  _ ditched? _ I’m sorry, I cannot assure you that the blondy stayed ali-”

_ “Hiken.” _

Fire roared as it shot through the room, unforgiving of the grass and leaves on its way. Kaku dodged in extremis to find himself face to face with a fire spear that wasted no time piercing his shoulder. The groan of pain didn’t calm the Commander, just made him hungrier for more. For vengeance.

“You attacked my  _ brother _ , dumbass,” Ace said with a voice as cold as his flames burned hot, walking toward the CP9 agent that scrambled to his feet. “You threw a piece of wood  _ through _ him.” He walked closer to his prey still, noting the way he looked around for an escape or a way to win. “I’m going to burn you down.”

The giraffe man used Haki. Which kind of sucked in a way since Ace couldn’t land an attack as powerful as he wished, but it did the job. The straight punch in the nose took him by surprise enough that Ace managed to throw him off his rhythm and into the wall once more.

“Your brother is Revolutionary Sabo?!” The beast exclaimed as his co-worker fought Zoro and Usopp in the background.

“And Strawhat Luffy. Apparently you guys stole one of his crewmates. Bad move.”

“That’s- That’s impossible!” He yelled at his face, dodging another attack that synges his shoulder instead of taking his arms off. “You’re not a Revolutionary-”

“Nope,” says Ace gleefully, putting emphasis on the p. “I’m a pirate. And it’s time you took me seriously, too.”

It took two more hits for Kaku to fall.

For a moment, Ace  thought about ending it. About taking away the man that almost stole Sabo away from him a second time. But he stopped, promising he wouldn’t next time. With Zoro and Usopp both freed by the help of more Strawhats, they made quick work of the wolf man, especially when they were joined by Sanji soon after.

Almost a full crew.

As they started moving back, Ace walked to the prone and smoking form of the CP9 agent, crouching in front of him.

“Hey,” he greeted with all the embers of rage he had left. “I’m just going to tell you that once so you better listen.”

The prone man, skin burnt and breathing heavily, slightly opened one eye.

“If I see you near any of my brothers again,” Ace whispered, flames dancing in his eyes. “If I hear that you touched a single hair on any of their heads, I’m coming back. And when I do, there won’t even be a pile of ash left to bear your name, got it?

The CP9 agent coughed and nodded weakly. It was enough for Ace to nod back and stand up.

With a nod from Zoro, he dashed away with Usopp.

That sniper had guts. He’d better not die.

~~~

The battle still was hurting him to his bones when Luffy finally dropped down to the ground, body bruised and battered at a level that makes even moving impossible to do.

But he’d won. He’d won and his crew was here. He’d won and Ace was smiling down at him, leaning against Sanji. He’d won and Robin was safe even if a little bruised up. He’d won and Usopp  was there …well, even if he was yelling at him to fall into the ocean of all places. Yet arms sprouted out of the ground and he was pulled toward the edge where he found another friend.

Merry.

And Sabo, arms spread open, ready to catch him and holding him close the second he got within range. Ace soon joined them on the wooden floor where they held each other and laughed. Laughed and laughed as the Merry got propulsed away from the fight and into freedom yet again.

They laughed until they had to move, Ace and Sabo starting a heated debate about who was in the wrong to leave the safety of Water 7. Luffy didn’t mind. He liked looking at them both from his spot on Merry’s head as they bicker and bicker with wide smiles on their face and a very moody-looking trio behind them that had been presented as Revolutionaries.

The Galley-la ship met them soon enough, filled with friends and a fiery girl that made him think of Nami as she rushed to punch Sabo in the head and stretch his face, angry yet visibly relieved to see him in one piece.

But every good had its end, especially when working on borrowed time.

Merry broke.

~~~

Sabo held Ace while the Strawhats grieved their ship that was burning gently on the waves.

Both held themselves tighter as a voice, so gentle, so soft and so loving fills their mind in a last goodbye that should have been reserved for its crew.

“Thank you for taking good care of me until now,” it says, soft as the snow falling down on the scene. Ace clutched at the seastone cuff so it could fall without interference. “I was really happy.”

They didn’t cry. It was not their grief even if it broke their heart. They were both pirates somewhat, they knew the call of the sea and the soul of a ship. They both knew how lucky Luffy was for sailing with one that loved him and his crew so much.

But for now, she shall rest.

Davy Jones fleet should be happy to have her by his side.

“Sabo?”

The blond turned to his freckled brother with a questioning hum. “What?”

“Could I… Stick with you for a while?”

“You really are dumb sometimes, Ace.”

“Oi!”

“I was about to ask you the same thing. Think Luffy will let us stay a little longer?”

“I don’t think he’d want us butting into his adventure, but he wouldn’t like us out of his view in our state either, would he?”

The small smirk they shared was as wicked as all the ones they had in their shared childhood.

~~~

“Koala is on an errant run,” Ace said before his newly awoken brother opened his eyes. “She almost went ballistic when she heard about your stunt getting on Luffy’s old ship.”

“Morning to you too, Ace,” answered his brother with a groggy voice, rubbing his scarred eyes. “Where’s Lu?”

Ace made a head gesture toward the table where their youngest brother swallowed more than his weight worth of food as he slept. “Eating. When he smelled food he kneed me in the bladder so I woke up. Glad you managed to stay asleep, you needed it the most.”

The three brothers had slept in the same bed after all. Luffy in the middle as he should, with rubbery arms and legs always in contact with both of his brothers as Ace’s hand clung to Sabo’s sleeve. All three making sure they would wake if any of the others were to leave during the night. Well, mostly Sabo. It was a wonder food managed to rip Luffy off of him. Yet, at the same time, not really.

He was a menace after all when it came to meals.

“What have you got there?” Mumbled Sabo, eyeing the plate in Ace’s hand that quickly moved it out of range.

“Bacon. Get your own.”

Sadly for Sabo, the grabby hands and puppy eyes were not so effective after seven years with Luffy…well, they were, but not when done with sleep still crusting his eyes and his movements slowed. At least he gave it a try.

“I made enough for everyone,” piped in Luffy’s cook, placing another plate on the table and grabbing the empty ones in front of his black hole of a captain. “Don’t worry about that.”

Sabo thanked him as he sat up, blindly grabbing for his top hat and sliding the goggles off the rim to place them around his neck.

“Why not just put the hat on?” Pointed out Ace. “Seems easier.”

“We’re inside, you dimwits. It’s impolite,” he groaned back, making a half-hearted attempt to steal bacon which didn’t work.

But a plate of his own was shoved in his hands with a cup of coffee that he eagerly swallowed down under the disgusted stare of Ace.

“What?” Sabo asked, noticing his brother’s discomfort.

“Coffee’s the worst,” he pointed out, crossing his arms.

“What? No!” Sabo exclaimed back, taking another sip just to prove his point. “Coffee’s great! It keeps me up!”

“It tastes bitter!” Ace grimaced, thinking yet again about the horrible brew he had during his short stay with the Marines on the day he had found his brother again.

It still made Sabo snort and hide a shit-eating grin into his cup. “Add milk or sugar then!”

“If you drop your food, I’m making both of you eat it off the floor,” growls Sanji as he makes a ninth pass, five new plates being set on the table.

Both brothers immediately calmed down, Sabo eating the entire content of his plate in one big bite before Ace could manage to snatch food away from him. The cook looked appalled for a second before he rolled his eyes, obviously used to his own captain.

“It’s amazing! Your bacon is perfect! Thank you Sanji!” His brother immediately exclaimed, eyes shining happily.

Apparently, it was the right thing to say as Sanji’s scowl melted and turned into an easy smile. “Well, good. I got much more. Waffles or pancakes?”

“Both?” Ace said at the same time as his brother, sharing a grin before turning back to the cook.

“Right you’re my captain’s brothers, shouldn’t ask.” The blond smirked good-naturally before getting back to the kitchen to prepare the request.

Sabo looked as if he felt bad for a second before Luffy sleep-burped and they realized that there probably was way more made and their own request was probably already on the way. He turned slightly to get his feet down and his face twisted with pain as a hand moved to his bandaged side, Ace catching him on reflex.

“Back down you go,” he chastised, rolling his eyes. “You’re awful at this. Just stay down.”

“Look who’s talking,” Sabo snapped back as Ace fluffed up his pillows and props him on them.

The clacks of the little raindeer’s hooves prompted him to move aside. Illegally adorable, Chopper climbed up to the side of the bed and immediately started babbling about medication and being careful with the stitches, hooves working fast on discarding the old bandages and dressing the wound once again. Well, wounds.

The marks on Sabo’s throat were fading, now yellow against his pale skin that, under scrutiny, was a bit less tan than during his days in Goa. Probably from working in the shadows for ten years...that or the desk job. Anyway, it wasn’t much of a surprise with his choice of clothes. It wasn’t not easy to get sun kissed when the only visible part of your body is your face and you wear a top hat with a large brim, after all. Yet it just made the bruises more visible and Ace’s blood boils. He did this. By bringing him with him.

If Teach was going to kill him or worse, he didn’t know, but he had almost lost his brother on this peculiar bet. The brother he had already lost and mourned once before and didn’t think he would have been able to again. He never considered telling Luffy about it. It had been too close of a fight. Enough to weaken Sabo, who won it by stepping in after Ace had given his all, to the point Kaku, a mere CP9 agent, was a difficult opponent.

But then here he was, alive, smirking at something Chopper said and at the little dance the reindeer did after being complimented on his work.

And Sabo dropped the smile so quickly, Ace thought he dreamed it as his brother’s head turned toward a wall, the motion quick enough to make his neck crack.

Before he could ask what was happening, something pinged his Observation Haki, giving him just enough time to raise a wall of fire to catch the pieces of the wall that flew in after something - no,  _ someone  _ \- hit it. He took a battle stance in front of the bed quickly, ignoring his own bruises and aches to face the gaping hole and…

“You, are the Strawhat crew, aren’t you?” Said a gruff but gleeful voice.

And all the blood flooded from Ace’s face, making the few crew members that saw it take their collective battle stance between the threat and their captain.

He felt more than hears Sabo’s hesitation between fighting or dissolving into the cushions to hide. Because…oh no it’s really him.

“I brought someone I want Monkey D. Luffy to meet…”

The rest of the crew that hadn’t immediately placed themselves before their captain chose this moment to do so, eyes serious and unforgiving. Ready to put their life on the line for Luffy and-

Yeah, they knew that punch well, cringing at Luffy’s pained exclamation as a closed fist came into contact with his head.

At the mention of the Fist of Love, they just wanted to run out. But Luffy’s been hit and-

“Ace!” Exclaims the same grumpy voice, suddenly laser focused on him.

That’s the only warning he manages to get before pain flourishes in his skull and he quickly covers the bump he’s bound to get. He’s too bruised for that already goddamnit!

“What are you doing here?!” Asked their asshole Gramps as he straightened back up, a wide grin on his face, nothing like the rest of his followers that cowered after noticing who he was talking to. “Finally up to be a Marine?”

“What- Never, shitty Gramp!” Snapped back Ace on reflex. At least the second punch he saw coming, even if avoiding it was still impossible.

“Goddamn grandsons! Hey! Luffy! Become a Marine!”

“I already have a crew, Gramp!” Their brother yelled back, as offended as any. Yet not many were fearless enough to scream back at Garp The First, Aka Monkey D. Garp, Hero of the Marines, Aka their  _ grandfather _ .

While the old man fought with their youngest brothers, Ace and Sabo tried to make an attack plan, even if useless, exchanging ideas in hushed whispers until they both nodded. They quickly ended up side by side, Sabo with his hat on and pipe in hand, Ace ready to strike. And Garp finally turned and faces them and-

He stops.

His smile drops.

His eyes- Are those tears?!

The rare sight took them by surprise enough that they got caught off guard when the Marine sprints to them. The brothers don’t have time to dodge and Sabo’s still wounded and-

The embrace is softer than anything they can remember. Warm and safe, a promise of security rarely felt out of their respective chosen families and...

“Sabo?” Croaked the old man without even moving back to check the young man’s face. “Sabo is that you, brat?”

“Um… Yes? Hi Garp?”

The embrace tightened into something more familiar, yet any familiarity disappeared with the big fat tears that fell on their shoulders from the man’s eyes. Heavy sobs broke through his strong barrier like glass right in front of his whole troops and Luffy’s confused crew.

“I’m so glad,” Garp murmured against them, cradling both boys in a crushing hug, shaking from emotion. “I’m so glad you’re alive,” he added, never letting his hold become painful. “And you better call me Gramp, you damn brat.”

“Oh! Yeah, Gramps! Sabo’s alive!” Luffy uselessly pointed out before the old man stood up, bringing both brothers with him as if they weighed nothing as he crossed the room to the youngest, surprising and scaring his crew half to death as he brought him in to collapse on the floor. “Ah! Gramps you’re crying!”

“I’m happy you complete idiots!” Garp growled, holding the three even closer, as if he feared they would disappear into thin air. Well, Ace could, Luffy was exceedingly slippery if needed and Sabo…well, he didn’t know much about his ability to slip away but he was a Revolutionary, and knowing Koala, that wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities.

“Missed you, Gramps,” finally relented Sabo, answering the embrace in kind, quickly followed by the other two brothers until they were in a pile with the equivalent of a rubber band making sure they were all stuck together for a while.

And, well, Ace had seen his Grandfather many times since Sabo...left. Training, fighting, arguing. Never had he been this open about his affection to him or even to Luffy, who was obviously his favorite. But Lu had the amazing power of making everyone love him after one single smile.

There had been one instance - only one - where the old man had been outwardly caring and gentle towards him. That Ace remembered, that was.

That had been ten years prior, a month after Sabo went to sea. Garp hadn’t greeted him with a fist of love. He had just sat next to him on the edge of the cliff and waited for him to speak.

“Gramps…why do you work for the World Government?” He had asked after multiple minutes staring at the sea.

“Because I can do the most good as a Marine,” Garp had scoffed back, for once not pushing his wishes for Ace’s future into him.

“Why do you protect Celestial Dragons?”

“Because it comes with the job.” He sighed then, rubbing the back of his neck. “Given the choice, I wouldn’t. I’m not much of a fan.”

Ace had chosen that moment to turn, silent tears sliding down his cheek. “Why did the world kill Sabo then? Why weren’t you there to stop it?”

The old Marine didn’t flinch, just looked profoundly saddened. “Luffy told me. I’m sorry.”

“Are you?!” He screamed, standing up with his knuckles white from how hard he’d been clenching his fists. “Are you really?!”

“Yes. I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I’m sorry I cannot fix this, Ace. I’m sorry, grandson.”

“I’m not your fucking grandson!” Ace exploded, running to the Marine to kick and punch and yell all of the things he couldn’t throw at Luffy. He did until everything hurt, until he couldn’t see from the tears and couldn’t breathe from the sobs.

And when Ace dropped, two strong hands were there to gently pull him to safety. The size of the man enveloping him into a warmth embrace, away from this cursed world where his brother was dead and gone. Where his own selfishness almost cost him his last living one. Surrounded by two large arms and hidden from the world, he broke again, clinging to the well-pressed uniform like a lifeline. Something he had no memory of ever doing before. He remembers it being warm. Closed from everything else. And somehow, in the small space, he could breathe again.

Ace was brought back to the present as he was peeled away from the old man, quickly checking beside him and glad to find he hadn’t been the only clingy one of the trio. The Marines looked quite shocked as their Vice-Admiral stood back up, wiping away his tears.

And a Den Den rings, breaking the odd silence that had settled in the broken room.

“Ummm…that’s mine?” Pointed out Sabo a little sheepishly before walking toward the sound and grabbing the snail. He stopped in his tracks.

Tease him later, but Ace couldn’t stop himself from immediately getting closer, leaning in to check the snail and find any kind of threat to his brother. “‘Bo?”

“It’s the marine snail,” Sabo breathed. “Ace, it’s the marine snail.”

They look at each other with wide eyes, wondering what to do, before a wide hand suddenly passed over their head to snatch it out of their grasp. Monkey D. Garp himself picked up the call with the confidence of the hardened man he is, smirking down at his two grandsons with visible glee.

“This is Monkey D. Garp. Who’s this?” He asked immediately, voice echoing in the quiet tension of the building.

_ “Monk- Vice-Admiral Garp?!” _ Stuttered the voice on the other side.  _ “How did you get access to this Den Den?!” _

“Usually, protocol demands that you say who you are,” pointed out their grandfather with a strong voice, clashing terribly with how he shoved his free hand’s pinky into his ear to dig around. “So who am I talking to?”

_ “Sorry sir! The G2 Grand Line base command center, sir!” _

“Oh, then I don’t care. Why are you calling me?”

The utter brokenness of the voice was hilarious to hear as an outsider. Ace thankfully listened to his instincts like Sabo did, both of them slapping a hand over Luffy’s mouth before his howling laughter would come out. There was no point in breaking the cover their grandfather had been laying down for them without being prompted.

_ “Y-You’re using a Marine Intelligence snail, Vice-Admiral…”  _ Pointed out the voice, meek now.   
  
“And?”

If Garp sounded more bored, the three brothers wouldn’t be snuffling snorts but yawns.   
  
_ “One that has last been seen on a burning ship with only one missing officer.” _

“Oh, who was that?”

_ “E-Ensign Lighthouse Eddy, Vice-Admiral Garp!” _ The man on the other line stuttered again.

This prompts Garp to glance at the trio, an eyebrow raised. “Let me guess. Blond, scarred face, last seen being kidnapped by Portgas D. Ace?”

_ “He’s…alive?” _ Breathed the voice.

“Oh, yeah, I fished him up after Portgas left him alone at sea. The poor sap is going on break for a while.”

_ “But-” _

“Ok, I’ve got pirates to arrest now, goodbye,” finished Garp, hanging up before there could even be an answer.

Silence came back, more by shock than awkwardness this time.

“You  _ knew _ ,” whispered Sabo, incredule.

“Well,”  began the old Marine again, his grin badly hiding the proud gleam in his eyes. “I didn’t know it was  _ you _ , but I like to keep my eye out about my reckless grandsons.”

It was comfortable, after that. Even when surrounded by marines, it felt safe. Suddenly knowing that the presence that always seemed invincible as they were kids was at least still concerned with their  well being helped.

“I’m keeping this snail,” smirked Garp, blindly throwing the poor Den Den to one of his henchmen.

“Please do,” mumbles Sabo, sitting back on the bed, already winded.

That was when Garp gave an order and Luffy reacted that Ace finally noticed his younger brother’s swordsman rushing in, stopped by a blond man. A pink-haired one with a bandana attacked Luffy instead. Luckily, both Marines got quickly taken down by the Captain and his Second.

Considering the board grin that was soon to cover Luffy’s face, they weren’t foes. Both older brothers sat back down, tension easing away as their Shitty Gramps began to clean the mess he made…until the words slipped from his lips...about Luffy’s parentage. Sabo made a choking noise beside him, bending in two to regain his breath.

“Dragon is your father?!” He exclaimed while pointing at their little brother, somehow louder than the already loud crowd.

Ace turned to him. Sure, he was also surprised about the change of events, but Sabo looked positively livid at the news. “Everything ok there, ‘Bo?”

His brother ignored his question completely, instead turning to the old man with outrage. “Everything is not ok! Gramps! You’re messing with us, right? He cannot be Luffy’s father!”

“He is though,” shrugged the Marine. “He’s my son. What? You met him?”

“He’s my leader! Of course I know him!” Screeched Sabo with wide gestures and forced Ace to push him back down before he could tear his stitches.

This time it was Garp’s turn to choke on air, with almost every marines behind him doing the exact same thing. “What?! But that would mean-”

“I know this man!” Squeaked a Marine, pointing at Sabo. “He’s the Chief of Staff! Second in Command of the Revolutionary army!”

Well, the Hero of the Marines’ fist was as strong as ever as it fell on Sabo’s head, ripping a yelp of pain from him. “What’s this about you brats and dangerous professions?! I did my best to make you Marines!”

“Hey!” Exclaimed Sabo, offended. “Dragon saved and raised me! And I like my current status, thank you very much.”

“You know my dad?” Popped in Luffy, a wide smile as if he hadn’t been completely obvious about having a father only a minute prior. “Is he cool?”

And just like that, the three brothers were merrily chatting about the Leader of the Revolution while Marines fixed the hole in the wall, which they kept going until the hole was fixed and Garp left with his usual Fist of Love and loud attitude.

~~~

Sabo…wasn’t doing so well, to be entirely honest with himself. Two days had already passed since their Grandfather passed by and Koala had informed him that the old man was walking Water 7 streets as if he was on vacation, probably awaiting for them to take their leave so he could be dramatic about it while passing by every day, badly hiding how relieved he was seeing Sabo. At least that was the guess.

The plan of awaiting Luffy’s departure before leaving themselves was seconded by his redhead friend. More time he spent in bed, healing, the better she felt. So he agreed. For Luffy’s sake.

While Ace and Luffy were sparring outside, he could only sit next to the window, painfully aware of his weakened state yet aching to join them as he once had.

But he had changed, hadn’t he? And so had they. Seven years together as a duo. What was he to this dynamic anymore?

And it wasn’t as if he didn’t know how wrong these thoughts were, but they were unstoppable. They were like black ink seeping into the cracks of his soul every time Luffy spoke about an event that had happened in a forest he knew yet wasn’t there to witness. Every time Ace told a joke that only the youngest could laugh at…every time they left him to his bed and ran around the city, even if their souvenirs were all lined up on the windowsill. Every time...it felt off.

There was a dark and insidious canyon of ten years that couldn’t be filled with good intentions. It was too wide and when he attempted to get closer, it felt as if he was going to be swallowed whole into its darkness. As if his own brothers would suddenly realize that he wasn’t the one they expected or wanted anymore. That ten years old Sabo changed into an adult that they could never be close to as they once were. That he was too different.

He was lost in thought when something was suddenly shoved on his head and the mattress tilted slightly from someone sitting next to him.

Luffy, head free of his signature hat as it now stood upon Sabo’s blond curls, sits next to him.

“Lu? Why did you give me your hat?” He asked, confused. His little brother had never - and he meant  _ never  _ \- given his hat to anyone else. Sure, he might have shoved it into Ace’s or his hands before a solo fight, but never for long. Never letting them wear it.  _ Hat _ was too important.

“Because Sabo is sad,” came the simple answer as his little brother’s head leaned on his shoulder. “And Hat is the best medicine for sadness.”

“I’m not…sad,” Sabo tried to counter, taken aback. The great actor from all his cover stories was suddenly nowhere to be found. When did his little squirt become so observant and dependent?!

“Why’re you sad, Sabo?” Luffy asked. “Is it because I stole your bacon this morning?”

“I- Lu it’s not…Sanji made me another plate, I’m not mad about my favorite little brother eating well,” came the easy answer as his bare hand ruffled Luffy’s unruly dark hair.

“Then is it because you don’t…see us as your brothers anymore?” he asks, hiding his face in Sabo’s shoulder, voice shaking with fear, probably only allowing this weakness because they were the only ones in the room.

“What?! Luffy, how could you even think for a  _ second  _ that I wouldn’t see you as my little brother?!” He exclaimed in outrage and shock, forcing his brother to face him by holding his face in his hands. “I will never, ever stop seeing you and Ace as my brothers! Even if you two choose to, I won’t!”

“Is it what scares you?” Luffy asks, voice not shaking anymore, just worried, accusatory.

Sabo released the young Captain in shock. “What?”

“It is, isn’t it?” Said Luffy, frowning. “You think like Ace thinks! That you don’t think the other will hold our brother’s bond because you went to sea before us! This is unfair! We drank to it! We said that we would be brothers even if we all sailed on different ships!” Fat tears were now running down the teenager’s face. “Am I the only one that still believes in our bond?!”

“Shit- No! Lu- Luffy I never even thought about you and Ace not being my brothers! And what was this about Ace?!”

“Ace thinks that you made a new family in 10 years and now you don’t need us anymore! You’re super strong and-”

“Luffy!” He half-screamed.

That stopped him in his tracks as Sabo gripped his shoulders tighter, the give of the rubbery skin unsurprising to him. Blue eyes meet teary black ones for a moment. Two brothers, both terrified beyond words about the sheer possibility of losing each other.

“Luffy you’ll always be my brother, no matter my role or how far away I am and-”

The teenager stood, all anger and betrayal. “So why did you think we’d think like that ourselves?! We’re brothers, Sabo! We were brothers when you didn’t remember us and we are brothers now that you have our memories back!”

“I’m sorry, Lu,” Sabo sighed, finally, tears burning his eyes. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for so many years and missed you getting stronger and-”   
  
“I’m not done.”   
  
“What?”

“I’m not done getting stronger, Sabo,” continues Luffy, a look on his face he’d rarely ever seen. Something serious and true and unwavering. “I’m going to be the Pirate King so I cannot stop until I’m strong enough to protect everyone. And that includes my brothers, both of them.”

“But I-”

A hand slapped over Sabo’s mouth and Luffy went on. “Two days ago, I got one of my brothers back. I am not letting him doubt his place in my heart ever again. Or I’ll kick his ass to make him remember.” His expression softened into a smile as his hand fell. “Doubt if you have to, but not me.”

Sabo yanked him close in the next breath, crushing the now giggling teenager as close as he was able to get him. Luffy’s rubber properties reassured him that he wouldn’t hurt his little brother no matter how hard he embraced him and the tears were silent when they caught the red fabric.

He wasn’t sure who came into the room a few minutes later, but Luffy was quick to send them away, saying something that barely caught in his ears. Then he was back into the rubbery embrace, being reassured of being wanted by at least one of the two people he trusted the most in this wide and corrupted world.

When the door opened again, it took three footsteps for Ace to get by their side, worry radiating from him in warm waves.

“Sabo? What happened?!”

“He’s as dumb as you are,” scowed Luffy, sliding his arms around both of them and yanking hard until they’re all collapsed on the bed. “He thought because of the ten years we wouldn’t think of him as our brother anymore. Like you were worried because you’re stupid.”

“Hey!” Ace snapped back with offense. “I… It was just a guess for why he looked so sad looking at us through the window…”

“What?” Exclaimed Sabo, rubbing his tears away quickly. “I was jealous of you two, you complete cretin!”

“Wha- Why would you be?!”

“Because it’s your thing and-”

Luffy started laughing and pulled them both even closer to him with the help of many rounds of rubbery arms. “We were training so we could take you on because Sabo got super strong! Also you’re hurt so if we fight you now it wouldn’t be a fair fight. So you got to stop worrying and heal up quickly so I can beat your ass!”

“I’m stronger than you, Lu,” Sabo laughed, yet again amazed by his little baby brother’s powers to take away other people’s worry. To make them disappear with a statement and a smile.

“Nu uh! You don’t know that! You haven’t fought me yet!”

“You can’t even use Haki yet. Ace either, so I’m bound to beat both of you up.”

“Haki?” Asked Luffy with a curious head tilt while Ace spluttered angrily something that sounds suspiciously like  _ ‘I tried and it just didn’t stick’ _ .

“Well, Lu. It looks like I have a lot to teach you.” Sabo smirked, never letting his own hold on his brothers weaken. He looks at Ace, at his dumb brother that is so different yet identical to him. And he breathed. “Looks like I have a lot to teach you both.”

~~~

The next day, a young captain got a ship and a new crewmate before sailing away in the most excessively flashy way possible.

On the shore, a pirate with an orange hat laughed from his own ship before he  shot away in a trail of fire toward his own family.

At night, a blond man smiled at the stars and moon from his own ship, surrounded by friends, ready to give his all to achieve his own goal.

  
  
**TBC**  
  



	9. Five Years Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It’s been a while.”
> 
> “Tell me about it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, late again, but here at last!
> 
> This is it, guys, Your Suitcase Full of Memories is finished at last!  
> Again, HUGE THANKS to both Theprodigypenguin and SoccerSarah01 both for the help of the story and for being an incredible Beta as I panicked and fell down many plot holes on the way!
> 
> I can't thank the readers enough either, with the love, support, questions, hype, comments and/or kudos!
> 
> It's been quite a ride! Now on with it!

Goa is amazing at this time of the year. Warm and peaceful since its nobles were thrown to the streets and the Grey Terminal was rebuilt. Houses and trees now fill a space that had only ever seen trash, pain and pestilence. The  forest is still mostly unused by the villagers - it’s not like it ever stopped being filled with monstrous beasts, after all.

It’s been a year since the World Government had fallen. A year since the world built itself up for the better… Since the Battle of Mariejois that had ended with the surrender of the Celestial Dragons and the seizing of all slaves. Slave collars are still around, of course, it is hard to completely ignore the past and sinners love to keep their lucrative jobs. But, with slavery now illegal, Marines and Revolutionaries surprisigly started stopping suspicious ships and slave auctions together.

Two years ago, Whitebeard had fallen to his illness, surrounded by his children, love and promises of life. It’s been two years since his crew decided on one last journey, bringing every single passenger to exactly where they wanted to continue their own adventure, some sticking together while others went solo, a skeleton crew still protecting a few choice islands under their protection.

And it’s been a year since the new Pirate King found the One Piece, coming back from his travels with a grin as bright as the sun and crewmates that were family. With tales of fire and snow, of dragons and cities in the clouds, of underwater princesses and islands of dinosaurs. Tales of the Weakest Sea giving birth to the strongest of Heroes. Of a ship with a golden mane that sailed to paradise and back, filled with its secret as it kept crossing seas to challenge masters of the blade, draw a map, cure illnesses, find knowledge and the All Blue and so much more. But. most af all, to follow a man with a heart as big as his laugh.

A man of 25 years walks down a street that looked nothing like the one he knew when he was a child. He stops, boots clicking on the pavement, right in front of a park filled with kids, rich and poor, playing without anyone stopping them from their imaginary adventure. Once, it was a ground he thought cursed, filled with barred windows and shrill voices and a blond boy that hated his guts.

He smiles at the treehouse stuck right to the middle, a messy jolly roger flying in the wind, symbol of freedom and memories. Even if the old Marine ruling the base on the coast likes to come by and put a Marine one on instead, at the end of the day, the kids always find their flags carefully folded inside the treehouse when they come back.

Turning around, he starts making his way to the coast, feeling a presence coming before it even crosses the horizon. Sounds and smells of the marketplace reaching him with yet another wave of nostalgia and dine and dash. Pavement makes way to packed dirt then to the wood of the docks where he stops, a smile climbing onto his face as the approaching vessel finally stops, its speed slowly decreasing until it gently knocks against a wooden support, the man aboard quickly tying the boat before jumping into the blond man’s arms.

“Sabo!”

“Ace! It’s been a while.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Want a drink?”

“Of course!”

The dark haired man threw a tanned arm around his brother’s shoulders, making his way to the closest restaurant. The years having done nothing to change his look, still young and true from his 25 years of age, a light stubble on his chin. He had sailed the world after all, surrounded by friends he had once been the leader of, Captain of his own crew once more. The change of some faces not the least changing his familiarity. The laughter was quieter than when he had been amongst hundreds, with a man as tall as a house spotlighted in the center. A bright star that they had followed willingly, with the names of father, brothers and sisters on their lips.

He had sailed to Wano once more, even after years since he had helped free the country once again by his younger brother’s side. He met a familiar girl that grinned and yelled his name from the shore as he made his way off the island with a promise to meet again someday soon. He did this every year without fault since. Until the crew had their fill. Until they understood that their Captain was moving on to something else he had promised years prior.

And now he was stepping through the door of a familiar restaurant unter the glare of its owner. Making his way to an empty table to sit. The plates slowly filled their table as they told each other tales about high seas, friends and foes, battles and defeats. Laughing loudly at every twist and turn, every trip and fall, they remained. Once again together against the world, only missing the most important puzzle piece that, even when they were already together, made their relationship whole.

There is a ping coming from over the horizon and Sabo smiles, his brother catching the sudden change of expression and understanding immediately.

“He’s almost here, huh?”

“So loud I can hear him from here.”

They finish their meal, there is no rush since the third member of their family still has much to sail before making it to the dock. They pay and give one last farewell, worth the almost offended face of the owner that had been ready to raise arms, even without any chance of leaving the winner of that peculiar challenge. Ace even waves merrily at the poor old man before the duo merges back into the busy street. The docks aren’t far, but they know that the boat has already been spotted upon the horizon as the masses start to gather. The Pirate King is a special guest after all. As the last one lost his life where he breathed his first, the new one became a folk hero. Holding tight to his title, yet not ruling. He has a strong friendship with the Fleet Admiral that he still sparred with every time they crossed paths. Coby -  _ The Ambitious _ as they called him.  _ The Gentle _ didn’t pack quite the same punch, even if that was how he would probably be remembered. A pillar of Justice as there never was before.

About time.

Two rubbery hands grab the sides of a building before a laughing young man, barely 23, suddenly appears on the docks, a bright grin ever present on his face as he scans the crowd. Neither Ace nor Sabo believes that he hadn’t exactly pinpointed where they were in the crowd already, but there’s no point of rushing him as he hugs a Tavern keeper that tries and fails to hide her tears of joy. She’s the closest thing to a motherly presence the Pirate King ever had. Makino steps back and bright black eyes fall on the duo. They know how to brace themselves to avoid falling head over heels when he collides with them, hugging them close as his boat finally gets tied down.

“Ace! Sabo! You’re here!”

“We said we would be, didn’t we?” Humors the freckled one, tipping his hat, mirrored by the blond at his side.

“Why, we had to see our little brother, after all! It is his birthday, isn’t it?” Adds the other with an easy grin.

The birthday boy smiles even wider. The row of crewmates finally make their way down to the solid ground and greet the amazed villagers.

A green-haired man starts bickering with a blond with a cigarette between his teeth, both obviously doing so for show as no sword gets fully unsheathed nor do flames grow around a dark-clad pant leg. A woman with bright orange hair starts haggling with a merchant close by about the docking prices, leaning in with a shark smile that holds no bite. A long-nosed man makes his way toward an array of children to start reciting tales, all true if not embellished and made child-safe, of adventures that bring sparks in the youngsters eyes. A small reindeer stays close to a tall woman, both making their way to an old man to talk to him and give him a totally unprompted medical checkup. A huge Cyborg gets down to be immediately assaulted by an array of villagers holding broken tools for him to fix, which he does gladly, improving them on the spot at the demand of his newfound clients. A skeleton finds his spot on a fence to get out his violin and starts an old sea shanty that brings a nostalgic glow into the eyes of many that knew of a different group setting down at their port. A large fishman laughs and joins the long-nosed man for tales and explanations at the wonder of the many children all bundled up together to hear and dream of high seas.

The three brothers walk to the forest, leaving the crowd and music behind them, walking in silence until they reach an old shack. The age has left it crooked and the various repairs are plain on its sides and roof, and the small remains of a little house still stand near it. The youngest knocks and grins at the wide woman that opens the door and stands, mouth agape at the sight before she pulls them in and close to her heart, sobbing over their three hats that stand under her face. All three men answer in kind, even if less outward with their emotions. Curly Dadan, Chief of the Mountain Bandits, cries upon seeing her three boys, her three  _ sons  _ again. Badly hiding her pride, she lets them in and gets out an expensive bottle for them to drink. They all do, for an hour, telling their own summarized story, even if the Pirate King’s is harder to follow as it jumps through time and space. The woman’s tales are more simple, about helping at the Party’s Bar some days, about participating in Goa’s revolution and feeling extremely good when punching an old man that had once taken one of her sons away. The story, of course, prompts all three boys to fall into delighted laughter.

They leave with more hugs and ‘see you soon’s before the race begins. All three rush through the trees like never before. The old tree that stands a few miles away used to take an hour to get to. Now, in ten minutes, panting, they reach its base. Rubber, then flames, then steel. Instead of cheering or bickering, they just look up in silence.

There isn’t much left from the treehouse, Ace and Luffy having left it after the news of their brother’s death had reached them. The roof is gone and so is must of the walls, but the base that had been prompted on branches still stands, probably rotten beyond measure. Together, they get up. One finds a stable patch and a leftover box to dry it quickly with a controlled flame, one grabs a netting containing three red cups by extending his arm longer than humanly possible, and the last retrieves a bottle of sake from under his coat before sitting down cross legged. Three brothers, at the same spot as fifteen years prior. When their cup is filled, each of them take them in hand and raise their arm.

“No matter where we were, where we are or where we’re going to go,” starts the freckled man, a nostalgic smile on his face, not trying to even hide the wetness of his eyes.

“No matter what happened, what is happening, nor what will happen in the future,” adds the blond, rising his cup to his old fears, eyes as wet as the other.

“We’ll be the best of brothers, forever and ever!” Completes the youngest, tears openly sliding down his face, which is split in a wide smile.

The red cups clink together and their content is drunk swiftly.

“Hey, Lu?” Asks Ace, putting down his cup and sending a nod to his other brother before turning to the Pirate King once again. “We got you a gift.”

“Oh! What is it?!” Exclaims the young man, not much different from his seven years old self when it came to gifts and surprises.

“Ace and I sailed for longer than you and lived many adventures, as you know.” With Luffy nodding, Sabo kept going on. “And you know that the World Government fell a year ago by Dragon’s hand.”

“And yours,” correct the youngster, still carefree while stating it like a hard cold fact and not anything more.

“What Sabo means is that he lived one of his dreams,” Ace steps in. “And my father died two years ago so I sailed around for a bit afterward too.”

“What do you wanna say? Where’s my gift?”

It’s not a demand, just an innocent question, as a kid would ask. Easy and without any neediness. Both his older brothers share a look, proud as they could ever be, before they ask, in tandem, what they agreed on a bit over a year prior.

“Luffy, we want to join your crew.”

“If you’ll have us, that is,” adds Sabo, always the careful one.

They expect their brother to pout, to scream, or to laugh and jump around. They don’t really see the heavy tears coming until they start falling down cheeks that no longer hold any of their baby fat.

“What?” Luffy asks, hopeful yet weary, as if it could be a joke.

“Would you have us sail with the Pirate King, little brother?” Repeats Ace, warm with pride and joy.

Rubbery arms snap around them and when they all connect, a cup falls and rolls on the ground, getting stuck on the gap between two wooden planks. The wind in the leaves is loud over them when there is no roof to muffle it. A ray of sunlight peaks from behind a little puffy cloud to catch the fallen cup and the moisture still stuck to its bottom. A flock of birds fly overhead as a tiger roars close by. The Pirate King simply cries and laughs and sobs into his brothers’ arms. Nodding all the while, as strong as he can while words still fail him.

~~~

Sometimes, the strings of fate separate to make their own way, intertwining with others, all more colorful than the previous.

Sometimes, a string is cut and unwinds a whole part of the story, scarring the final result and needing much work to become whole again.

And, sometimes, a string was only unravelled and, with a caring hand, it can find its place again amongst its own to correct its absence.

But no matter what could ever happen to this tapestry, there will always be three strings held close at their base.

Brothers.

No matter what.

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here was Your Suitcase Full Of Memories.  
> I hope you guys all enjoyed because I sure did!
> 
> I did at least 3 other projects during NaNo2021 and I will publish them when they are corrected and ready (All One Piece, woops!)
> 
> I'll see you there, and for now, I wish all of you guys the bestest of day, week, month and year!
> 
> Much love  
> \- Ze


End file.
